Jun
28
By Carole James
As your local MLA, I serve you in our community in a number of ways. I attend community events, meet citizens to hear their concerns, and then take those concerns forward to government. My hard-working staff helps me to provide support for constituents from the Victoria-Beacon Hill Community Office, assisting with a wide range of services.
We can help you locate services and programs and can help you understand your rights under those programs. We can provide information about government policies and legislation and their impacts in our community. The Community Office serves as a broad-based community resource to connect organizations, stakeholders and individuals and help build productive and beneficial relationships.
As your representative and as a member of the Official Opposition, it is my job to hold the provincial government accountable for its decisions. When the House is in session, as it was this spring, we propose and debate legislation brought forward, and scrutinize each government minister and ministry.
We ask questions on how your tax dollars are being spent, what programs and services are in place, and what gaps exist for people in our communities. This is a very important part of a healthy democracy, and provides accountability to constituents.
This year, this exercise has proven to be incredibly frustrating, as the government only recalled the Legislature to sit a total of 24 days. Just 24 days to debate the spending of $41.9 billion of your tax dollars!
As the Official Opposition, we respectfully requested that government extend this session for another two weeks to allow further time for debate and discussion and to ensure the expenditures are good ones. The newly-elected Premier first entered the Legislature on Monday, May 30th, and that means she had just four days on the floor of the Legislative Chamber.
We felt it was reasonable to request more time for the new Premier and to complete this important work. But the government rejected that request and brought forward a motion of closure, ensuring that all debate, no matter what stage it was at, would end on June 4th.
Once again, this government is running from accountability, and it makes me sad and angry. Members in our community have raised important issues that need addressing.
Affordability is a key concern for families and seniors. Where is the government's strategy on affordable housing? What about the shortage of affordable, accessible, quality child care in our region?
Why are adults with developmental disabilities not getting the supports they need? Where is the funding for the capital region for transit? Why are the classes in schools so large? Where is the support for children with special needs? Why did the rates go up for seniors in residential care? Why can't citizens get home care support for loved ones?
Those are just a few of the issues that are important to my constituents. Then there is the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST). As your elected representative, I want to tell you that I stood in the Legislature and voted against this regressive tax. When I get my ballot at home, I will also personally vote "yes" to scrap the HST.
I have seen the harm this tax is creating for families who are now paying more for everyday necessities. The HST is a permanent tax shift from big business to families, consumers, and small business. I'm strongly opposed to taxing healthy choices such as bicycles and vitamins.
The HST is an almost $2 billion a year tax grab on citizens. I cannot justify it, and I don't believe my constituents can either.
I will continue standing up for you and always appreciate hearing about the issues that are important to you and your family.