Letter to the Editor

Dear David Wilks, thank you for your service. Let it be known that this is not an attack on you, but rather an attack on the ideals that you publicly support.

First, I’d like to highlight your Conservative government’s lack of science-based policy. During the school year I live near and volunteer in Vancouver’s troubled Downtown Eastside. An area that’s plagued by addiction, poverty, and desperation. Insite opened at 139 Hastings in 2003 and has reduced drug overdoses, HIV, and hepatitis dramatically in the process.

However, the Conservative Party has attempted to close it since coming into power, even amidst rulings by the Supreme Court that say public health outweighs the rule of law in this circumstance.

Bill C-2 is the Conservatives latest attempt to close Insite. It’s a Bill that you have championed. You’ve stated that Bill C-2 is for “the common good of our neighbours across Canada.” Let’s talk about “the common good” of society’s most vulnerable.

Now you’d think you’d learn from a Downtown Eastside neighborhood history that has been riddled with the highest rate of HIV infection among injection drug users ever recorded. A history where there were 200 fatal drug overdoses a year throughout the mid 1990s. Moreover, various published medical journal studies have concluded that “the common good” of residents in the Downtown Eastside is safety and public health. Insite helps provide both of those basic human necessities and saves lives while reducing harm to residents of the downtown Eastside. By attempting to shut Insite down you are not only refusing to listen to the highest court in Canada but you are also risking the lives of society’s most vulnerable.

Next, I’d like to address the Canadian federal government’s lack of action on climate change. While governments around the world are drastically attempting to reduce their footprints and greenhouse gas emissions, Canada remains an embarrassing anomaly in the international community. According to the World Resources Institute Canada is the worst per-capita greenhouse gas emitter among wealthy nations.

The latest Conservative climate goal is to reduce our emissions by 30% over 2005 levels by 2030. On the surface this represents a realistic and great goal. However, when you examine the policy behind the goal it’s quite empty. This fits with the larger trend of meaningless numerical commitments that the Conservative Party will inevitably ignore. Whether Copenhagen or Kyoto your party has failed on climate policy.

Furthermore, Canada’s Copenhagen goal is a 17% GHG emission reduction by 2020. In 2012, Environment Canada released a report titled ‘Canada’s Emission Trend.’ The report indicated that on current trends Canada’s GHG emissions will rise by 7.4% by 2020.

Mr. Wilks, your government has cut or drastically amended over 70 pieces of critical environmental legislation with the passage of one omnibus 2012 Bill – Bill C-38. Before this ‘valiant’ assault on the environment there were 2.5 million protected lakes, rivers, and streams in Canada. After the Bill was made law, only 159 lakes, rivers, and streams are under protection in Canada. Few would argue with the fact that our waterways need protection in order to provide clean drinking and habitat for aquatic animals. Your government has destroyed those protections.

Make no mistake this election is not purely about the economy or security or the lack of science-based policy in Parliament for the last nine and a half years. It isn’t ‘who’ wins the election that’s at stake here. What’s at stake is our country, our way of life, and our children’s and grandchildren’s future. This election is about restoring democracy, transparency, and accountability. This election is about making your voice heard! On October 19, vote for the values that have made Canada a leader and an innovator on the international stage.

Vote for a candidate that cares about Kootenay-Columbia and believes that he can make a difference in Ottawa. Vote for a candidate who will listen and make our collective voices echo through the halls of Parliament. Vote for Wayne Stetski!

Eddie Petryshen,

Vancouver/Cranbrook

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