In office so long they think taxpayers’ money is theirs
Thank you to White Rock resident David Trapp for bringing forward a class-action lawsuit against the B.C. government and the provincial Liberal Party for using public funds on partisan advertising.
Premier Christy Clark and her cohorts have been using our money to fund their re-election campaign for too long. The bombardment of partisan ads touting what an allegedly great job they are doing is insulting.
The Liberals have been in power for so long they think they own the treasury. Just think what could be done about alleviating hallway medicine in our hospitals or how many lines could have been painted on highways with the $15 million wasted on these ads. Time to throw out these self-entitled bums.
Rob Nairne, Oyama
Creating jobs — in Poland
There was a news item on television about a new B.C. Ferry arriving from Poland, followed by a commercial from the B.C. Liberals telling us how hard they are working to make jobs for British Columbians.
This is the second order of ferries the Liberals have had built in Europe when we have our own shipyards right here in B.C.
I think the Liberals should look at themselves before pointing fingers at the NDP about how they will say anything to get elected. Don Smith, Vancouver
Crack down on fraud
I don’t quite get those ICBC television ads that claim we are paying more for insurance because of drivers defrauding the system. Doesn’t that suggest ICBC is doing a poor job of weeding out false claims?
Perhaps they should invest more in that department and less on advertising.
Charles Leduc, Vancouver
Fund public seniors’ homes
More funding for seniors care might help if it were given to publicly-owned facilities for a few more staff and maybe an extra therapist. History shows more funding did not improve the quality of care in for-profit facilities.
Taxpayers shelled out more money in 2010 when the client rate was increased which, according to the health minister, was to be used to increase staff levels. Did that happen? No. Most of that revenue was given to for-profit, who chose to make their stockholders happy rather than their residents.
The most effective way to ensure better care for seniors is to restrict public funding and enforce compliance with fines and penalties. Judy Galley, Sorrento
Don’t waste funds on addicts
Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson’s wish to spend $10 million in federal funds on treatments such as opioid-substitution therapy would be a negligent misuse of public funding.
While I understand drug addiction is a disease, it began as a choice. The children and families devastated by drug users were not given a choice. With treatment helping only three per cent of addicts, we should be spending 97 per cent of that $10 million on programs for those affected by addicts.
Pouring more money into a lost cause has got to be insanity. Wendy Hoffman, Vernon
Give truck drivers a break
Reading the letter from the man who believed trucking columnist John Stirling was defending a truck driver who the letter-writer believed was a road bully, I wasn’t there, Stirling wasn’t there, and the writer wasn’t there.
It’s always easy to pass judgment, but ask yourself this: Do you ever give a truck a break? Ninety per cent of drivers don’t — it’s always “me first” with car drivers.
Jake Reynolds, Surrey