NDP Meeting With Diverse Group In PG

By Michelle Cyr-Whiting

NDP Leader Carole James gives opening remarks to forum at Civic Centre

Prince George, B.C.-  It is a select, yet diverse group that has been invited to gather at the Civic Centre for a day-long regional forum with NDP Leader Carole James, as the party looks to formulate a long-term economic strategy for the province.

The 70 or so guests in attendance include former mayors Colin Kinsley and John Backhouse, Initiatives Prince George CEO Tim McEwan, Prince George Chamber of Commerce CEO Jennifer Brandle-McCall, along with United Steelworkers Local 1-424 President Frank Everitt, and L'heidli T'enneh Chief Dominic Frederick.  

James says, "Every meeting we've had (around the province) has had diversity when it comes to industry, diversity when it comes to political views and diversity when it comes to the folks in the room."

"It doesn't mean we're all going to agree," she says.  "But if we put aside the differences, there are areas we can agree on, there are common goals that we have and that's where we should be working as British Columbians."

James says the continuing economic challenges facing B.C. -- declines in exports, weak consumer spending and confidence, and the continued impact of the U.S. downturn on our resource markets -- present the perfect opportunity to look at doing things differently.  She told the group, "It's provides us a window of opportunity to make smart, innovative changes that will make a difference now, but, more importantly, wil make a difference 20- to 30- to 40-years from now."

One concrete example, says James, could be a green retrofit program of public buildings like schools, pools, and hospitals, as "an infrastructure program, as a job creator, as a way of building innovation and research and development around green technology."  She adds, "It would be an exciting project in British Columbia, put us on the leading edge and now's the time to do it, when people aren't employed in the forest industry, when they're struggling."

James says the Liberal Government has failed to offer up any such plan.  In fact, she says, she's looking forward to the Premier's address next week, to see what, if anything, he touches on for economic development.  James says local communities are doing an extraordinary job of banding together and developing diversification strategies.  But, she says, they need a government working with them and coordinating the approach.

As for former caucus member, Cariboo North MLA Bob Simpson's assertion, the New Democrats lack a long-term vision, James says she admitted after the last election that her party hadn't done a good enough job of showing people its vision.  She says that's what this process is about:  the first step is to listen to British Columbians, step two will be to compile priorities, and step three will be to put those priorities out as the NDP's platform, well in advance of the next election.

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