B.C. Liberals try to whip up red scare
With the NDP poised to win tomorrow's provincial election, the B.C. Liberals' redbaiting has begun in earnest.
A reporter with Black Press—whose owner's face graces the B.C. Liberal platform—has just quoted an astonishing claim by veteran B.C. Liberal MLA Mike de Jong.
According to de Jong, the NDP's "dream" bears a remarkable resemblance to the Bolivarian revolution advanced by recently deceased Venezuelan socialist president Hugo Chavez.
De Jong based this outlandish allegation on ideas coming out of an NDP provincial council meeting.
Raising a red scare is part of a last-minute B.C. Liberal scheme to convince voters that the NDP has a secret agenda to take the province on a Trotskyite turn after the election.
The old Socreds used to play the same games during election campaigns.
Former premier Bill Bennett liked claiming that then-NDP leader Dave Barrett acted like Groucho Marx before the election but would turn into Karl Marx if he won.
The only difference is that NDP Leader Adrian Dix—the son of an insurance-company owner—has turned out to be far more conservative than Barrett ever was.
Chavez's socialist government created thousands of free medical clinics and extended food and housing subsidies to the poor.
The NDP under Dix plans to give employable welfare recipients a $20 per month increase phased in over two years. And Dix's party platform hasn't mentioned "social housing" once.
However, the NDP has promised "up to 1,500 units of affordable nonprofit, cooperative and rental housing for low- and moderate-income families, seniors and individuals each year". This will be financed through the existing Housing Endowment Fund.
According to the Social Housing Now campaign, there are 117,000 B.C. residents "in a state of absolute or hidden homelessness or at risk of homelessness".
Bolivarian revolution, indeed.
Comments
5 Comments
DavidH
May 13, 2013 at 3:28pm
What the BC Liberal/Cons are actually saying is that BC should be more like China - a nation that does not tolerate the debate of new ideas. Simple ideas, complex ideas, controversial ideas ... NO! There will be no debate! The state and the party will TELL you what you are allowed to debate!
Comrade de Jong would be right at home in the Chinese communist party where thoughts are controlled by those "elected" by stupid people.
Come to think of it, he would also be at home in Ottawa these days. Chairman Harper decides everything, always.
Dan
May 13, 2013 at 3:37pm
Dummies, they missed all the voters in the advanced polls. Half assed as usual!
James G
May 13, 2013 at 4:04pm
The corporate media already has it's headlines for after the election.
Should the BC Liberals prevail, they won't be able to restrain themselves from a self-congratulatory "WE DID IT!"
Should the NDP win, the headline will be "BC elects Picard over Janeway as Hollywood North drags BC Into Darkness!"
OMG
May 13, 2013 at 5:17pm
For goodness sakes Charlie, if you are going to link "research" from the Social Housing Coalition that comes from Ivan Drury then maybe de Jong has a point.
Christie loses the race
May 23, 2013 at 9:27am
The LNG race to China, ASA and Britain’s BG Group are building a $10-billion East African LNG terminal and are well-placed for exports to Asia, after the Norwegian company made a 6 trillion cubic ft of natural gas find off the coast of Tanzania.
US gasoline inventories jumped an 3.015 million barrels last week, driven by a rise in production and imports, data released by the US Energy Information Administration showed Wednesday.
What is the premier going to do now with all those promises of jobs and paying off the deficit when the LNG race is over and Clark places dead last before the ink even dries on the agreement with China, all smoke and mirrors?