Editor:
Re: Gov't MLA doesn't necessarily pay dividends for constituents, Community Comment, April 19
Vocal Vicki Huntington supporter Steve Graham argued that South Delta voters should not vote for Bruce McDonald, basing his argument on events that occurred 10 years ago, which related to issues that for the most part are no longer relevant, involving actors who are no longer involved in the debate of today's issues... not all that compelling.
Even worse, his underlying "facts" are wrong or do not support his position. Space constraints prevent a detailed repudiation of Graham's arguments, so I will deal with three of them in summary fashion.
Graham claim: Roddick/B.C. Liberal involvement with Delta Hospital was bad for Delta.
Facts: Fraser Health Authority and other provincial authorities announced wide sweeping changes to health care delivery in 2002. Community groups and Val Roddick advocated loudly to reverse the proposed changes as they were detrimental to Delta. At same time, behind the scenes Roddick successfully lobbied her cabinet and MLA colleagues to force changes to the policy.
Result: Between 2002 and 2009, Delta Hospital ER tripled space, acute care status was reinstated, 12 new acute care beds opened to bring total to 38, endoscopy suite added, CT scanner installed... all under Roddick/B.C. Liberal watch, working closely with the Delta Hospital Foundation. The team approach worked.
Graham claim: Roddick "barely survived a recall vote in 2003."
Facts: In 2001, NDP lost the election to B.C. Liberals 77-2. The NDP wanted to get more MLAs before the next election so organized recall petitions in seven B.C. Liberal ridings, including Roddick's. The NDP failed to get enough support to even get a recall vote in Delta South. Delta South voters got their say on Roddick's performance in the 2005 election where she handily defeated Huntington and NDP challenger.
Graham claim: Liberal government failed to keep its promise to provide funding for world-class soccer facility at John Oliver Park.
Facts: Corporation of Delta and Vancouver Whitecaps negotiated from 2007 until 2010 to use provincial funding, Whitecaps and Delta money to build a facility. On Jan. 15, 2010, Delta and the Whitecaps broke off negotiations as they couldn't agree on how much of John Oliver Park the Whitecaps could use to build their facility.
Government money remained on table to build a world-class soccer facility but Delta council, for valid community reasons, no longer wanted the government funding. The failure to "get it done" occurred while Huntington was MLA, but being somewhat more logical than Graham, I do not blame her for this result.
I close by saying, "That was then, this is now." Let's spend the rest of this election campaign positively discussing issues of importance to the residents of South Delta today, not those that took place 10 years ago.
Gregory J. Muirhead
