This month, British Columbians have two opportunities to elect governments that work for working people. Tomorrow, we decide who governs our municipalities and next week, on October 24, we elect our provincial representatives.
As the Regional Executive Vice-President for BC, I want to again be honest with you about what’s at stake if the wrong party is elected provincially.
Government decisions at every level have real consequences for workers and communities. Issues like privatization and cuts of public services, threats to your bargaining and strike rights, efforts to fast-track major projects, and weakening of Indigenous consultation don’t stop at the federal-provincial boundary. Provincial governments have real power to shape the rights, protections, and public services that we all rely on.
The choices made here in BC can influence conversations and policies across the country. We’ve seen this with issues like paid sick leave and minimum wages. BC was the first province to establish five days minimum standard of paid sick leave, and shortly afterward the federal government moved to provide paid sick leave to federally regulated workers. In the last decade, BC has gone from having one of the lowest minimum wages in Canada to one of the highest, joining other provinces in legislating automatic increases tied to inflation.
These rights are not guaranteed. In the wrong party’s hands, they can be weakened, rolled back, or eliminated.
Across BC and Canada, we’re seeing growing far-right political efforts that seek to erode our rights under the guise of morality. Privatization of public services, halting progress on Truth and Reconciliation, and repealing programs that make schools and streets safer are just a few of the threats to working families.
Every day, I talk to PSAC members who are feeling the pressure of rising costs, housing precarity, and growing demands on public services. When costs are rising, the promise of lower taxes can be an attractive one. But we also need to ask what we give up in return.
There’s still time to speak to candidates in your riding and ask them where they stand on the issues that matter most to you. Don’t be afraid to ask the tough questions:
- What will you do to make housing more affordable?
- How will you strengthen public healthcare?
- What will you do to protect workers’ rights?
- How will you create and protect good jobs?
- How will you prepare communities for increasingly severe wildfire seasons?
- What will you do to advance Reconciliation?
- How will you address systemic racism and discrimination?
- How will you ensure public services have the workers and resources they need?
This October, I will be voting for the BC NDP candidate in my riding. I personally encourage all PSAC members to do the same. We have the power to influence outcomes at the bargaining table, in our workplaces, and at the ballot box.
The provincial election day is October 24. Advance voting is available October 16-21. Check voting details online and make your plan to vote for working people in BC.
In Solidarity,
Jamey Mills
Regional Executive Vice-President
Public Service Alliance of Canada, BC Region