Hopefully, candidates seeking election in our area will actually explain how they plan to implement their election platform.
For example, we keep hearing “we need younger people.” Well, younger people need a minimum wage of $18-$20 per hour (a living wage). If they have children, they need affordable day care. Candidates, what jobs are you able to provide at a living wage? Where is your subsidized daycare?
We keep hearing “we need jobs,” but we can’t have coal mines or any other form of resource extraction. We grudgingly allow logging in some areas, but the logs are for export. We hear many arguments against oil exploration. If the oil extraction in Northern Alberta and B.C., and the natural gas extraction (fracking) in Northern B.C. were to shut down tomorrow, our local economy would be devastated, as a significant number of our residents work in those areas on a rotational schedule. And of course we can’t dam the Peace River, etc.
Five young neighbours (aged 20-26 years) have moved to Northern Alberta, where $25/hr is a common starting wage and two are earning over $75,000 for the year. Candidates, how do you plan to bring them home?
Al BrettQualicum Beach
