Mama's Boy?

This page extends his condolences to Premier Gordon Campbell for the passing of his mother, Peg Campbell, at the age of 82. As I know from experience, it's never easy to lose a parent at any age. However, the loss of a parent is poignant milestone in all of our lives, and gives pause for reflection. In fact the Premier may want to reflect a little harder on the memory of his mother raising him and his three siblings on a school secretary's salary after his father succumbed to alcoholism and suicide. I don't think he's learned a thing from that experience.

This page has made it clear on a few occasions that the Gordon Campbell is a man who has some serious issues and has no business acting as Premier of British Columbia. It's highly disturbing to invoke his mother's struggles to raise her children as rational for his Liberal government's reckless 25% tax cut shortly after taking office in 2001:

"I always ask myself, when government takes money out of your paycheque would Peg Campbell say 'thank you very much' for taking that money?' I can't remember my mom ever waking up the day after getting her paycheque and saying I've just got too much here to spend on the kids."

Campbell's 25% tax cut in 2001 went across the board, creating significant savings only for the wealthy in B.C., and at the same time decimated the province's revenue base. This 'structural deficit' laid the groundwork for an expansion of user fees and increased MSP premiums, the elimination of vital social programs, and the Liberals' unforgivable tearing up of legally binding collective agreements. Mr. Premier, it's one thing when the government takes money out of a paycheque, it's another thing to take away someone's paycheque altogether: that's why the Supreme Court called you on it. As for the Liberals war on welfare, did it ever occur to the Premier that the experience of his mother is what motivated governments to cast the social safety net that he and his corporate right-wing ilk are bent on tearing apart?

It is sad to the point of pitiful to hear the Premier use his personal grief to score political and ideological points. I can extend my sympathies to him and his family for their loss, but every day this page sympathizes with the people and communities who are forced to put up with the most arrogant Provincial government in Canadian history.