When the provincial election in 2019 was held, there was an epidemic of COVID-19. Like the rest of the world, this epidemic also affected Canada.
During the last four years of the NDP government, British Columbians faced many problems. Before that, the NDP government under John Horgan didn’t have as many issues as it did under the leadership of David Eby. There is no doubt that after the COVID-19 pandemic, the whole world situation has changed rapidly, and the economies of many countries have been destroyed, some have gone even on ventilators.
In BC, One of the most effective areas is public health, there are many issues due to which people are suffering. A simple example is the minimum limit is one and a half weeks to book an appointment with family doctors if they have any. The people are also suffering from the shortage of family doctors, many families have no family doctors as they are not available. There is a shortage of staff in hospitals, there are no beds for patients. Don’t ask about emergencies. Patients who go to the emergency room must wait for six to eight hours minimum. Due to the shortage of doctors and other staff, they don’t get proper attention. Despite raising this issue many times, the authorities are limited to promises.
Due to immigration policies, the number of refugees and international students has increased, leaving the local population with no employment opportunities.
Another major affected sector is education. The number of students in the schools is increasing, but there are no buildings. staff or furniture to match it. The situation is that education is being provided in double-story portables, which is an embarrassment for a developed country, Canada. The future of the nation is being nurtured here.
An important problem is SOGI. Parents are worried and many families have moved or are planning to go to the Middle East or their own countries for future planning. In many provinces, some way has been found for this problem, but no attention was paid to it in BC.
Despite paying all the taxes, people are deprived of basic amenities. Increasing property taxes is also affecting house rents. There is no ratio between income and expenditure.
Inflation is everywhere, be it big stores or small. Prices are increasing daily. There is no check on prices. Everyone is worried.
Another growing problem is crime, gangs, and increasing drug use. This very attention-grabbing problem and serious enough to be solved.
The city of Surrey is currently one of the largest cities in Canada, where the population is growing rapidly, so the problems here have also increased. Among the major problems are lack of capacity for admission in schools, non-availability of houses, lack of family doctors i.e. doctors are not available for the people, increasing crime points to the lack of basic needs which is a shame and surprise in a developed country. Whether it is general shopping or grocery, the increase in prices has had a significant impact on purchasing power. The BC government has announced housing projects to end the shortage of houses. Many high-rise buildings and townhouses have been built in Surrey but neither the number of schools has been increased nor has attention been paid to health facilities and traffic problems.
Be it the expenses of taxes or repairs on the houses all have increased so much that the landlord is having to increase the rent substantially to rent the house.
Rising homelessness is a concern of the moment according to a report, Vancouver, BC ranks second for the number of homeless people across Canada. The money that is being spent on their welfare is not being spent on the taxpayers.
Let’s look at the political parties, once the most popular Liberal party that ruled the province as well as the hearts of the people, it merged with BC United, and within a year it was under the leadership of Kevin Falcon. The Conservative Party has given the BC government a very tough time. Under the leadership of John Rustad, this party is ready to face the NDP in the coming election.
Recently, the Conservative Party’s Leader and one MLA’s statements for a particular community, Gaza and Palestinians, have become controversial, and the Muslim community also has grave reservations. People’s opinion is that if the Conservative Party comes, health facilities will be cut and a toll tax should be imposed on bridges as well. As usual, big promises are being made to the public by all the parties near the election. Dreams are being shown. So, we voters should vote carefully because if a party whose manifesto and policies do not give any solution to the problems of BC, then four more years will pass in the same difficulty and trouble till the next election. Let’s cast our vote wisely and have a right party the ruler of BC.
Use your vote wisely and carefully.
Alhamdulillah this time both the major parties have fielded Muslim candidates, and it is hoped that inshallah one or two of our Muslim MLAs will be present in the Parliament of Victoria this time.
Advance Voting is now over. October 19 is the day to vote. Use your vote properly, keeping a close eye on the policies of all the parties. Vote yourself and encourage your family and friends to do the same. Voting is not only your right but also your duty.
Your one vote can change the fate of the province. Is it true?
What do you think?
Just think about it!
Open Letter on Healthcare in Surrey
By: Harry Brar
As doctors who call Surrey and south of the Fraser home, we are deeply invested in the health of our residents. We witness firsthand the need for a robust healthcare system that can meet the diverse needs of all our citizens.
As we approach the upcoming election, many are asking important questions about health care.
Surrey – and the Fraser Health region – is experiencing rapid population growth, which brings added pressure to our already stretched resources. Families need access to timely care for children, comprehensive maternity services, and support for our aging population. Furthermore, with rising cancer rates, our community requires enhanced cancer care services, including the recently announced gynecology oncology unit that will allow patients to receive comprehensive surgical care right in their community.
The reality is that our system has been chronically underfunded for decades. And, with the increasing demands on our healthcare services due to population growth, we find ourselves continuing to face challenges. And, despite not always agreeing with the BC NDP on various issues, we have found common ground over the last number of years on the issue of improving healthcare in Surrey. Together, we have made significant progress – we look forward to the new Surrey hospital, the new regional Cancer Centre, a new cardiac catheterization lab, more long-term care beds, and more. These investments are crucial – but there is much more work to do. However, we are worried about what we have heard from the BC Conservatives about the potential for budget cuts and shifts toward privatization. History has shown us that these approaches can undermine the progress we’ve made and create further disparities in access to care. The lessons from other countries remind us of the risks involved, particularly how for-profit
systems can erode the quality and accessibility of essential services.
As we move forward, it is essential that our leaders make decisions based on science and the best available evidence, rather than pandering to specific subsets of society. We need them to prioritize the health and well-being of the entire community. As such, we are extremely
concerned by John Rustad’s comments on vaccines, undermining public health advice and
medical science.
As healthcare professionals, we are dedicated to advocating for our patients and ensuring that everyone in our community has access to the care they need. We urge residents of Surrey to consider the importance of continued investment in our public health care system. Together, we can maintain the positive trajectory we’ve established and build on the work that has been done over the past 7 years to ensure that our community’s diverse healthcare needs are met.
Let’s work together to safeguard the health and well-being of all Surrey and South of the Fraser residents, today and into the future.
Signed, by 24 Doctors
Islamic Supreme Council of Canada (ISCC) Strongly Condemns the Desecration and Burning of Canadian Flag
By: Imam Syed Soharwardy
(Calgary) Islamic Supreme Council of Canada (ISCC) strongly condemns the desecration and burning of our Canadian Flag in the Vancouver area by a few anarchists. This is indeed very disturbing and unacceptable behavior. The law enforcement agencies must investigate and find out the culprits who burned the Canadian Flag. “I am sure whoever is responsible for such a horrible act cannot be a” true“ Pro-Palestinian supporter. The imposters who wanted to hurt the pro-Palestine campaign disguised among the supporters of Palestine and carried out such a heinous act of burning the Canadian flag”, Imam Syed Soharwardy, the founder of ISCC said today.
We all love our country and will never tolerate such behavior. We have complete freedom to protest and stand up for the human rights of Palestinians. Still, these protests cannot allow any anti-Canadian unpatriotic individual to carry out his/her hateful agenda.
