Perhaps we can call it the booster seat boo boo, that put the Liberals in some doo doo!
Like toddlers holding onto a favourite toy, the BC Liberal Government is finding itself under fire for a rather selfish little scheme, which distributed booster seats across the province only from Liberal constituency offices.
The controversy over the plan became public this week after it was disclosed that through Minister for State for Child Care, Linda Reid, the province had launched a rather sensible program to help low-income families meet the new requirements for car booster seats. As part of the project, the taxpayers of the province picked up the tab for 2,000 booster seats destined for those in the most need.
But as seems to be the case with good intentions, raw politics once again gets in the way of the doing the right thing, in the right way.
In the legislature this week Reid admitted only Liberal MLA offices were given the opportunity to distribute free booster seats. This meant that the closest office to the Northwest for distribution was Smithers, leaving the local NDP MLA Gary Coons fuming over the way that the project was implemented.
Coons rightly points out that while the Berry Patch in Prince Rupert was lucky enough to receive 20 of the booster seats, there were many areas of this riding that did not receive one single seat.
It’s a situation that isn’t right, and could have been avoided by a little common sense. By not involving all members of the Legislature in the program launch, the government missed a golden opportunity to appear to be doing the right thing. Smart political optics would have suggested having the local MLA receive the seats courtesy of the Provincial government would only serve the Government with nothing but positive feedback. Providing for a scenario which very well could have resulted in even NDP MLA’s patting the government on the back for a considerate and helpful gesture for those in the most need.
Instead, the Liberals look like selfish little brats, unwilling to share their goodies with the rest of the kids in the playpen. Taking what should have been pure political gold and turning it into a nasty display of petty party politics.
The controversy over the plan became public this week after it was disclosed that through Minister for State for Child Care, Linda Reid, the province had launched a rather sensible program to help low-income families meet the new requirements for car booster seats. As part of the project, the taxpayers of the province picked up the tab for 2,000 booster seats destined for those in the most need.
But as seems to be the case with good intentions, raw politics once again gets in the way of the doing the right thing, in the right way.
In the legislature this week Reid admitted only Liberal MLA offices were given the opportunity to distribute free booster seats. This meant that the closest office to the Northwest for distribution was Smithers, leaving the local NDP MLA Gary Coons fuming over the way that the project was implemented.
Coons rightly points out that while the Berry Patch in Prince Rupert was lucky enough to receive 20 of the booster seats, there were many areas of this riding that did not receive one single seat.
It’s a situation that isn’t right, and could have been avoided by a little common sense. By not involving all members of the Legislature in the program launch, the government missed a golden opportunity to appear to be doing the right thing. Smart political optics would have suggested having the local MLA receive the seats courtesy of the Provincial government would only serve the Government with nothing but positive feedback. Providing for a scenario which very well could have resulted in even NDP MLA’s patting the government on the back for a considerate and helpful gesture for those in the most need.
Instead, the Liberals look like selfish little brats, unwilling to share their goodies with the rest of the kids in the playpen. Taking what should have been pure political gold and turning it into a nasty display of petty party politics.
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The BC health guide suggests that we should: "Set a good example for your children by always wearing your own seat belt, and always insist that they buckle up."
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Hmm, setting a good example for the children, now there's something that the Government may want to get a handle or a buckle on.
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Judging by the reaction from the press this was one plan that needed a bit more thought and lot less politics and now needs some serious damage control.
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Vancouver Province-Liberals' boosterism sets new low for tackiness
Victoria Times-Colonist-Minister balks at apology for safety-seat boosterism
The Prince Rupert Daily News had details on the plan in Friday’s paper.
Booster seat row has Coons calling for fairness
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Friday, October 26, 2007
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Friday, October 26, 2007
North Coast MLA Gary Coons is alleging the Liberal Minister for Child Care is playing partisan politics with child safety, following the revelation that only Liberal offices benefited from a booster seat program.
Earlier this year, the provincial government announced a safety program that included new rules requiring booster seats for children younger than nine years old or under four-foot-nine.
Through the Minister for State for Child Care, Linda Reid, the province implemented a program designed to help low-income families meet the new requirements, and as part of it, taxpayers picked up the tab for 2,000 booster seats.
However, in the legislature this week Reid admitted only Liberal MLA offices were given the opportunity to distribute free booster seats.
Coons said that while the Berry Patch Child Care Resource and Referral Centre (CCRR) in Prince Rupert did receive 20 seats for distribution, it is a shame that neither the Healthy Beginnings program in Bella Coola, the CCRR in Masset nor the CCRR in Queen Charlotte received any seats.
"I find it interesting that the minister put on record that all areas of the province were treated fairly and equitably and that all regions of the province received seats," said Coons.
"The minister of state wants us to believe Liberal offices were used out of fairness, but not one booster seat made it to the Queen Charlotte Islands."
Coons believes that the program would have been much more effective if constituency offices had been left out of the picture altogether, and the seats distributed by ministry offices.
"She could have sent booster seats to the Ministry of Children and Family Development office in Queen Charlotte City. She could have sent booster seats to the Employment and Income Assistance office in Masset. That's where professionals who work with low-income families work," noted Coons.
"The Berry Patch, in Prince Rupert, did get 20 seats, but Bella Coola was left out, as were communities on Haida Gwaii. This program would be much more effective if the government cooperated with all constituencies to distribute the seats," he added.
The nearest constituency office to distribute seats in the Northwest was Dennis Mackay's office in Smithers, he noted.
In the legislature, Coons directly questioned Reid about her failure to reach families on the North Coast.
Coons, who said he is disappointed about the government's actions, has written a letter to the minister requesting seats for those communities that were left out in the initial phase of the program.
"Constituency offices are supposed to be non-partisan; they are there to serve the people of British Columbia, regardless of who they vote for," said Coons.
"I hope that the minister responds to this criticism by correcting her initial mistake and giving seats to every community that needs them."
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