By Mondee Redman

Gordon Campbell says this in the most important election in a generation—and he’s right.

If we do not act now, the next generation may lose everything that makes British Columbia “the best place on earth” to live.

B.C. is at a turning point and your choice on May 12 will have far-reaching repercussions. We have to ask ourselves—who can we trust to lead B.C. into the future?

We could not trust Gordon Campbell in the good times to protect vital public services like health care and education. When times were good, Gordon Campbell decimated our social safety net allowing child poverty to climb to the worst level in the country. When times were good, Gordon Campbell ended our affordable housing program allowing homelessness to more than triple. When times were good, Gordon Campbell cut funding to school districts allowing class sizes to become overcrowded.

When times were good, Gordon Campbell short-changed our health care system allowing for increased emergency room and surgical wait times, while failing to provide care for our seniors. When times were good, Gordon Campbell sold off our public assets and natural resources to his friends and insiders, giving away our shared inheritance.

Voters must ask themselves—if we couldn’t trust Campbell in the good times, what havoc will he wreak when times are tough?

It is apparent to me that in these tough times, Gordon Campbell will make life tougher for all of us.

British Columbia and my community of Burnaby North need true representation. We need someone that will work on behalf of the people of Burnaby, not just apologize for government neglect in Victoria.

Gordon Campbell and his silent MLAs have shown that they do not listen to Burnaby residents. The proposed remand centre on Willingdon exemplifies Campbell’s arrogance by imposing a controversial development without any public process or consultation with local residents. It is still unclear what Campbell’s government intends to do. Carole James and the NDP have been absolutely clear—an NDP government will not build a prison in Burnaby.

Listening to British Columbians is what Carole James and the NDP are all about.

We have listened to parents worried about their kids not getting the attention they need in the classroom. We have listened to farmers who want our agricultural land reserve protected and locally grown food marketed to B.C. consumers. We have listened to forest workers who see their jobs shipped away in the form of raw logs. We have listened to young people who are worried that their tuition fees will continue to skyrocket. We have listened to families who are anxious that they will not be able to provide care for their aging parents. We have listened to seniors who require long term care but have only received broken promises. We have listened to minimum wage workers who haven’t gotten a raise in eight years. We have listened to communities concerned that their local streams and rivers are going to be stolen and given-away to private power corporations.

We have listened, and will continue to listen to you. The B.C. NDP also wants to hear from you after we win government on May 12 to make sure we continue to hear your concerns, your new ideas, and your dreams for the future of your B.C.

I want you to make sure that we finally bring in species at risk legislation and protect British Columbia’s diverse wildlife. I want you to make sure we restore environmental conservation, stop fish farming and protect salmon habitat, and increase protection and regulation of our provinces precious ecology. I want you to make sure that our plan to fight climate change through a cap-and-trade system like the one being implemented in the U.S. by Barack Obama meets our targets of a 6 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2012, 18 percent reduction by 2016, 33 percent reduction by 2020 and an 80 percent reduction by 2050.

This election is indeed one for the history books. So much is at stake. Whatever your choice on election day, please consider it seriously, get all the facts, and vote.

Last election the Liberals won my constituency of Burnaby North by fewer than 100 votes. It will be equally close this time. So whoever you choose, your vote will make a difference—one that will affect generations to come.

Mondee Redman is the B.C. NDP candidate for Burnaby North.