If a new BC poll is correct, the tiny two-MLA BC Conservative Party now has more support than the NDP, which governs — pro-tem — with 55 MLAs. The latest poll (by Mainstreet) places the Conservative Party of BC at 39%, the BC NDP government at 36%, and the Official Opposition BC United-Liberals at 15%. The latter are no doubt in a state of shock comparable to the elation of the BC Conservatives.And yet it seems an entirely reasonable reaction to the controversy over the NDP's failed experimental drug decriminalization program and substance use policies. Not surprisingly, it led directly to a massive climbdown and policy reversal by BC NDP Premier David Eby.For, this surge in support for the BC Conservatives came after they strongly opposed policies that led to 'government' drugs appearing on the black market and procedures inside hospitals that were deemed a safety threat to staff. The Official Opposition BC United Party with 26 MLAs led by Kevin Falcon also changed position on it.MLA John Rustad, Leader of the BC Conservatives made the most of the moment: “People want change. Whether it’s axing the carbon tax, fixing our broken healthcare system, or getting drugs off our streets, British Columbians are telling us they want to bring back common sense to government. Premier David Eby and his radical BC NDP have made it very clear to British Columbians that they intend to double down on their radical policies, including: Raising the carbon tax Decriminalizing hard drugs Promoting a so-called "safe' supply of taxpayer-funded drugs Refusing to hire back healthcare workers and fix our broken healthcare system Seizing private property through changes to the land act andMaking life less affordable for everyone with sky-high taxes."Quite. As Opposition Leader Kevin Falcon said in a recent Question Period, BC has seen "record-breaking drug-related deaths and an explosion of violence....nurses are now compelled to hand out crack pipes and needles and even teach users how to inject drugs into their IV lines. We have businesses profiteering from addiction, and exploring business models for the commercialization of cocaine. His public health officer is aggressively pushing to legalize hard drugs like methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl, treating them as casually as cannabis. Secret government reports commissioned under this Premier's watch looked at market impacts and profiting off of legalization. The legalization of dangerous drugs like meth and crack cocaine has driven us to this crisis."To that Premier David Eby had little to say, but to sympathize with the families of the victims and remind Falcon he too had once been "proud of supporting a safe injection site in British Columbia." Meanwhile, the Eby government was "working with police and key stakeholders to make sure they have the tools they need to address public order issues in British Columbia."And so on. They really talk like that.Eby's problem is that he may actually believe what he once wrote on Facebook that, "We're in favour of the legalization and regulation of all currently illicit drugs." As Falcon added, pressing his attack, "after seeing the disastrous consequences of his policies, how can British Columbians trust a premier who has long championed such extreme views to fix the disaster caused by his reckless and failed decriminalization experiment?Frankly, the day before the poll came out, QP was like listening to ships passing each other in a fog, the opposition sounding the alarm and the government trying to sound empathetic but with no hint of change. It was against this background that Mainstreet's surprising poll came out. The next day the premier made an announcement on national TV reversing his government policy that he had just defended the day before.After weeks of stories about street drug use in hospitals, parks, and bus stops, the premier announced plans to recriminalize the use of drugs in public places. This was a radical re-imagining of NDP policy concerning drug addiction. In other words, the premier backtracked under pressure as soon as the devastating poll was published. It was painful to watch, policy reversal is hard for ideologues. His press conference was circular and convoluted, never admitting error or misjudgment, but conceding that said patience for disorder only goes so far. He did his best with qualifiers and diversions but it was a policy correction nonetheless.During CBC's coverage, the fawning media gave lots of air time to supporters of drug users. They avoided the main story of the social tragedy that had multiplied before a scandalized community. Eby even tried to include the opposition Parties to blame for the fateful policy choice.However, the Conservatives have been clear in opposition and even if a little late to the game, BC United has now joined in. Frankly, once that surprise poll was published, the policy back-peddle was inevitable. Trouble is, that also makes it clear that this horrible debacle on our streets was as much about image and popularity, as it was about wise governance. For weeks, arguments and hard evidence didn’t move the policy dial, but a single political poll worked a miracle. But we must pause to consider what this fanciful policy cost. How many may have died because of the fateful government policy choice? How many treatment beds were added in the last two years given the published numbers needing help? Permissiveness and benign condonation are not kind or socially wise governance.
If a new BC poll is correct, the tiny two-MLA BC Conservative Party now has more support than the NDP, which governs — pro-tem — with 55 MLAs. The latest poll (by Mainstreet) places the Conservative Party of BC at 39%, the BC NDP government at 36%, and the Official Opposition BC United-Liberals at 15%. The latter are no doubt in a state of shock comparable to the elation of the BC Conservatives.And yet it seems an entirely reasonable reaction to the controversy over the NDP's failed experimental drug decriminalization program and substance use policies. Not surprisingly, it led directly to a massive climbdown and policy reversal by BC NDP Premier David Eby.For, this surge in support for the BC Conservatives came after they strongly opposed policies that led to 'government' drugs appearing on the black market and procedures inside hospitals that were deemed a safety threat to staff. The Official Opposition BC United Party with 26 MLAs led by Kevin Falcon also changed position on it.MLA John Rustad, Leader of the BC Conservatives made the most of the moment: “People want change. Whether it’s axing the carbon tax, fixing our broken healthcare system, or getting drugs off our streets, British Columbians are telling us they want to bring back common sense to government. Premier David Eby and his radical BC NDP have made it very clear to British Columbians that they intend to double down on their radical policies, including: Raising the carbon tax Decriminalizing hard drugs Promoting a so-called "safe' supply of taxpayer-funded drugs Refusing to hire back healthcare workers and fix our broken healthcare system Seizing private property through changes to the land act andMaking life less affordable for everyone with sky-high taxes."Quite. As Opposition Leader Kevin Falcon said in a recent Question Period, BC has seen "record-breaking drug-related deaths and an explosion of violence....nurses are now compelled to hand out crack pipes and needles and even teach users how to inject drugs into their IV lines. We have businesses profiteering from addiction, and exploring business models for the commercialization of cocaine. His public health officer is aggressively pushing to legalize hard drugs like methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl, treating them as casually as cannabis. Secret government reports commissioned under this Premier's watch looked at market impacts and profiting off of legalization. The legalization of dangerous drugs like meth and crack cocaine has driven us to this crisis."To that Premier David Eby had little to say, but to sympathize with the families of the victims and remind Falcon he too had once been "proud of supporting a safe injection site in British Columbia." Meanwhile, the Eby government was "working with police and key stakeholders to make sure they have the tools they need to address public order issues in British Columbia."And so on. They really talk like that.Eby's problem is that he may actually believe what he once wrote on Facebook that, "We're in favour of the legalization and regulation of all currently illicit drugs." As Falcon added, pressing his attack, "after seeing the disastrous consequences of his policies, how can British Columbians trust a premier who has long championed such extreme views to fix the disaster caused by his reckless and failed decriminalization experiment?Frankly, the day before the poll came out, QP was like listening to ships passing each other in a fog, the opposition sounding the alarm and the government trying to sound empathetic but with no hint of change. It was against this background that Mainstreet's surprising poll came out. The next day the premier made an announcement on national TV reversing his government policy that he had just defended the day before.After weeks of stories about street drug use in hospitals, parks, and bus stops, the premier announced plans to recriminalize the use of drugs in public places. This was a radical re-imagining of NDP policy concerning drug addiction. In other words, the premier backtracked under pressure as soon as the devastating poll was published. It was painful to watch, policy reversal is hard for ideologues. His press conference was circular and convoluted, never admitting error or misjudgment, but conceding that said patience for disorder only goes so far. He did his best with qualifiers and diversions but it was a policy correction nonetheless.During CBC's coverage, the fawning media gave lots of air time to supporters of drug users. They avoided the main story of the social tragedy that had multiplied before a scandalized community. Eby even tried to include the opposition Parties to blame for the fateful policy choice.However, the Conservatives have been clear in opposition and even if a little late to the game, BC United has now joined in. Frankly, once that surprise poll was published, the policy back-peddle was inevitable. Trouble is, that also makes it clear that this horrible debacle on our streets was as much about image and popularity, as it was about wise governance. For weeks, arguments and hard evidence didn’t move the policy dial, but a single political poll worked a miracle. But we must pause to consider what this fanciful policy cost. How many may have died because of the fateful government policy choice? How many treatment beds were added in the last two years given the published numbers needing help? Permissiveness and benign condonation are not kind or socially wise governance.
