06 January 2000
What the NDP should focus on - THE COMMENTARY
By Joseph Planta
VANCOUVER - As the BC NDP gear up for the last month and a half before their leadership convention in February, The leadership candidates are busy preparing their platforms and making the requisite promises to entice rank and file members into choosing them. As a member of the BC Young New Democrats, I got a copy of a questionnaire filled out by the candidates with regards to issues that are of concern to BC’s youth. It should be noted that this is what the YND thinks is of concern.
The topics range from the environment to mental health, public education and Native’s rights. Like the first NDP debate, at Tupper in early December, the answers of all four candidates rarely stray from towing the party line. They, Ujjal Dosanjh, Joy MacPhail, Gordon Wilson and Corky Evans, all think the Downtown Eastside is a problem, yet have no feasible solutions or the faintest suggestions on how the problems should be fixed. Dosanjh believes in stoping “big” dealers and traffickers, but Dosanjh fails to see how that will give a prompt fix-up to the people who are currently being plagued in the Downtown Eastside. Dosanjh also thinks that the possible medicalized use of certain and limited drugs could be the solution. Dosanjh is dead wrong there. I do not pretend to know what the hell to do with the problem of junkies, but giving them drugs and legitimising that is silly. MacPhail, on the drug issue, is rather revolting. She supports the idea of having pilot projects that allow for the medical dispensing of heroin and cocaine. Nothing is more stupid than that.
It is this clearly restrained and oblivious stance, by not only MacPhail, Dosanjh and Wilson, that disturbs me. You can’t fight a fire with fire. Not only is it messy, it’s also dangerous.
Gordon Wilson, as Minister of Education is currently in the process of advancing Aboriginal Studies in the public curriculum. Now, I can only assume as a leadership candidate and possible Premier, this will be a sticking point for him. I have nothing against Aboriginal instruction in the public school system, but speaking from a view of someone currently in the system, how do you fit that kind of instruction in? The public school system’s resources are already taxed to the limit, and adding another facet will only compromise those curriculum’s already in the system.
Dosanjh and Evans are sticklers for promoting human rights and tolerance within the public school curriculum, while MacPhail is harping on promoting active participation in democracy. MacPhail’s position is a most noble one, but the lack of interest in public affairs has only been compounded by this current NDP administration’s incompetence. Dosanjh and Evans do have a point, and I think the active promotion of human rights and tolerance is a more feasible subject to persue, rather than Aboriginal Studies.
All in all, the NDP should focus on fiscal responsibility. Not only is that the right thing to do in our economy, it is the best thing to do for the party to stay a viable force on the British Columbian political scene. Otherwise it will go along the wayside like the Socreds and the Federal Tories.
Questions and comments may be sent to: editor@thecommentary.ca
An archive of Joseph Planta's previous columns can be found by clicking HERE .