Sometimes when I get frustrated with the system and I don't know where to vent my frustration I write letters. I have been known to write letters to CEO of boards, my MLA's, MP's the papers and now the Premier of our Province.
Recently our provincial government in it's infamous wisdom thought it would be a good idea to send every British Columbian a cheque for $100. They are calling this initiative the "Climate Action Dividend cheque". Along with this cheque came a lovely glossy brochure telling British Columbians how we could save energy. Some of their suggestions were things like weather strip your windows, change your light bulbs to more energy efficient bulbs, walk instead of drive, use a push mower instead of gas. First of all, why did it take a whole department to come up with those suggestions and secondly, I think most British Columbians do those things anyways. As far as the push mower goes, I don't use one on my 5 acres...if the Premier wants to come and cut my grass using the push mower he is more than welcome.
As most of us know governments never give without taking away. So with this $100 cheque they are increasing the tax on gas. Calling it the Carbon Tax. Go figure. This whole climate action things is just an insult to my intelligence. Do they really think we are that stupid and don't know what they are up to. How much did it cost them to print the cheques, set up a department to monitor the disbursement and implementation of this initiative? How much did it cost them to produce the high glossy brochure that accompanied the cheques? Oh I could go on.
The higher fuel costs have had a direct impact on the economy as a whole. For example farmers are having to raise the prices on their produce because of the increased cost of fuel, manufacturers are increasing costs again because of increased fuel costs, and all that filters down
to me the consumer. The consumer who is having less and less disposable income because of taxes like these. Did you know that Canada is the Number 1 supplier of crude oil to the US with Saudi Arabia as second did you get that Number 1!!!. We export 1.86 millions gallons of crude oil to the US daily. So why are we paying twice as much on gas as our US counterparts? I am insulted that the government shadows the cost of fuel as a "Climate Action" initiative. Give me a break!
So what did I do about all of this, well I wrote a letter to the Premier of our Province and I sent him back his cheque. I told him he should use it towards the programs he is cutting. Like the 350 publicly funded long term care beds his government is closing on Vancouver Island. Whatever happened to his governments promise in establishing 5000 publicly funded beds? They sold out to the for profit organizations...they fell for the "Assisted Living" which are for profit facilities staffed by less qualified personnel. I also wrote to my local paper and sent them a copy of my letter.
I wish more British Columbians would do the same, send their cheque back. What the government is trying to do here is just wrong, and if we don't speak up they will continue to try hide behind their glossy high powered campaigns to make it look like they are trying to make it better for us.
Recently our provincial government in it's infamous wisdom thought it would be a good idea to send every British Columbian a cheque for $100. They are calling this initiative the "Climate Action Dividend cheque". Along with this cheque came a lovely glossy brochure telling British Columbians how we could save energy. Some of their suggestions were things like weather strip your windows, change your light bulbs to more energy efficient bulbs, walk instead of drive, use a push mower instead of gas. First of all, why did it take a whole department to come up with those suggestions and secondly, I think most British Columbians do those things anyways. As far as the push mower goes, I don't use one on my 5 acres...if the Premier wants to come and cut my grass using the push mower he is more than welcome.
As most of us know governments never give without taking away. So with this $100 cheque they are increasing the tax on gas. Calling it the Carbon Tax. Go figure. This whole climate action things is just an insult to my intelligence. Do they really think we are that stupid and don't know what they are up to. How much did it cost them to print the cheques, set up a department to monitor the disbursement and implementation of this initiative? How much did it cost them to produce the high glossy brochure that accompanied the cheques? Oh I could go on.
The higher fuel costs have had a direct impact on the economy as a whole. For example farmers are having to raise the prices on their produce because of the increased cost of fuel, manufacturers are increasing costs again because of increased fuel costs, and all that filters down
to me the consumer. The consumer who is having less and less disposable income because of taxes like these. Did you know that Canada is the Number 1 supplier of crude oil to the US with Saudi Arabia as second did you get that Number 1!!!. We export 1.86 millions gallons of crude oil to the US daily. So why are we paying twice as much on gas as our US counterparts? I am insulted that the government shadows the cost of fuel as a "Climate Action" initiative. Give me a break!So what did I do about all of this, well I wrote a letter to the Premier of our Province and I sent him back his cheque. I told him he should use it towards the programs he is cutting. Like the 350 publicly funded long term care beds his government is closing on Vancouver Island. Whatever happened to his governments promise in establishing 5000 publicly funded beds? They sold out to the for profit organizations...they fell for the "Assisted Living" which are for profit facilities staffed by less qualified personnel. I also wrote to my local paper and sent them a copy of my letter.
I wish more British Columbians would do the same, send their cheque back. What the government is trying to do here is just wrong, and if we don't speak up they will continue to try hide behind their glossy high powered campaigns to make it look like they are trying to make it better for us.
In my closing remarks to the Premier I said....".....Mr. Premier, here is your $100.00 back please put it towards a worthy cause, like long term care beds, you might need it in the future."
I know my letter will most probably fall on deaf ears, but at least I know I tried. I couldn't fathom the alternative...that being .....doing nothing.
Good health to you all....and Happy Sunday!!!
8 comments:
I think it's a good idea to write letters even when they do fall on deaf ears. Sometimes those deaf ears will wake up with enough letters. I also think returning your check spoke volumes. Good for you.
If everyone took time to write a letter then they would have to listen. Everyone can make a difference!
I too have written many letters to our Premier Mcguinty and I usually get a response, mind you full of platitudes, blah, blah blah...
How will you like Dion's "green (tax) shift". I knew that we are the largest supplier of oil to America and got quite pissed when mayors of major U.S. cities want to boycott Alberta oil? What are they smoking I wondered to myself, would they rather support Saudi than us? But yes, we should have better prices but that's NAFTA isn't it. It is my fondest wish that Obama (if he is President) opens NAFTA and we get to renegotiate on the oil issue. I remember once Alberta saying "let the eastern bastards freeze" after Trudeau did them in, I feel the same way sometimes about the U.S., not the people, just the stupid politicians...sorry for the rant...ciao
NAFTA was a sell in for all citizens...the only people who gained any benefit were the politicians, lobbiests and the companies it cetainly was not the working class....it wasn't only Trudeau that did this country in....remember Mulroney..if ever there was a crook he was one of them....shame.....Dion's green tax is the same as Gordon's Carbon tax...it's a joke...just another tax to get money from the working poor.....
The longer I know you, the more I see that we often think very much alike. I too write letters from time to time and have also been known, when extremely ticked off, to make phone calls to government officials too. Not that it always is beneficial, but I usually feel much better after the fact, having voiced my sentiments to their stupid and usually deaf ears.
I bought groceries. *sniff*
Good on ya! You're wrong about Trudeau but dead right on Mulronry...
God bless the letter writers.
Hey John....I guess your cheque will be waiting for you when you get home...did you hear that they actually mailed cheques to people who don't even live in the province...dear god, what a joke!
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