As a parent and voter…what would you ask Premier Christy Clark if you could?
I get hemming pants…but can someone explain to me what the heck a cabinet shuffle is?
Next week, I will be sitting down with Premier Christy Clark at a roundtable session for mom bloggers.
I feel like I didn’t really become invested in knowing about politics or our political system until I had children. Perhaps this is because I realized there were other people in control of decisions that would affect the life of my family…and I HATE to not be in control. In order to gain back some of my power as a parent and citizen…I need to become more educated about our political system. I don’t think I am alone.
A major “a-ha” moment for me in realizing my ignorance about politics was at the Leading Moms event a few weeks ago. Premier Clark was the keynote speaker. She was telling a story that I could relate to. Her son was running late (as was she) and he needed his pants hemmed. What mom can’t relate to a crazy morning, trying to get everything done before heading off to work. Clark went on to say how she told her son…”Hamish, we have to hurry, I have to shuffle the cabinet this morning.”
Me: She has to do-a-what now?
I felt really stupid. I knew all about the juggling and pants hemming etc. but had no idea what a cabinet shuffle was. For all I knew, she could have meant cleaning out her pantry.
I’m not a dumb person. I consider myself well read and intelligent. Alas, politics are an area in which I do not excel…and Canadian politics…snore!
But, I need to get educated. I need to know how this all works and how I can make good voting decisions that will benefit my family, my kids and our neighbourhood.
So…what should I ask Ms. Clark next week? As a parent, what would you ask her?
Oh my goodness where do I start? OK here’s a really basic one: She has been touting a “Families First” agenda since she took office. Personally, my family has never been worse off financially than since she took office. The price of EVERYTHING has gone up (hydro, Translink, Ferries, gas taxes etc.), my salary is actually going down this year (also thanks to her – I already barely make enough to cover my mortgage and expenses), new changes are coming to the Strata Property Act that will jack up my strata fees, and I can’t think of one thing she has done to help my family. Not one. Where are the daycare subsidies? extra daycare spaces? money for education? anything? What does “Families First” actually mean?
High price of housing – the impact to our family and our local economy: Young ones are leaving the province to look for more job opportunities and better living standard elsewhere. What is the government going to do to lower the housing cost?
As a working mom who currently loses half my take-home pay to childcare for my son, what’s my incentive to go back to work when I have my second child? We do a nanny share with another family because despite being on downtown daycare wait lists since I was 3 months pregnant, my 21 month old son is still very far up the wait list. My husband and I are seriously considering Vancouver and possibly leaving BC despite it being our place of birth where our family and friends reside. We are both professionals that might end up being added to a long list of others who have left the province for better opportunities. What will Mrs. Clark’s “Family First” initiative do to help a family like ours and keep us from leaving.
My question is how does she see the future for our children being? Because the cost of living is ridiculous in this province not to mention the cost of everything else. How will our children manage to go to post secondary, get a job and establish themselves living here in BC? I feel like BC is not doing enough to help our children, our future. And I agree with the above comment about FAmily First. I really want to see that put into place, into action. I’m tired of the semantics. I want to see something done!!!
Agi:)