Editor, The Record:
Recall is necessary in Maple Ridge/Mission because our MLA, Marc Dalton, has done little, if anything, for his electorate, preferring to toe the BC Liberal party line.
Did Dalton take the concerns of his electorate to the BC Liberal caucus over the Genstar Development in Silverdale? No.
When Mission Memorial Hospital was being gutted like a fish by the FHA, where was Dalton? Did he actively fight for our hospital? No.
When the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) was brought in, did Dalton vote against it? No.
Has Dalton made any effort to get the size of the provincial bureaucracy reduced? No.
The HST hurts average British Columbians by shifting $2 billion per year onto their backs from large corporations. That is about $1,300 per average wage-earner in BC each year. Has Dalton tried to have it rescinded? No.
Has Dalton fought against bridge tolls? No.
Has Marc Dalton held routine town hall meetings to inform the people of Mission about what he has done for them or to hear the voice of the electorate? No.
When asked if he would take forward the voice of his electorate to the BC Liberal caucus, Dalton indicated that he was part of a team and would be taking his direction from them. Does Dalton, therefore, represent the people of Maple Ridge/Mission? No.
Dalton chooses to work for the BC Liberal Party, not the people of Maple Ridge/Mission.
Canadian democracy is based on the notion that we elect people to public office to represent the wishes of the people. We elect representatives to do what is required on our behalf, placing in them a trust that our needs and desires will be represented. This means that politicians have a fiduciary duty to their electorates to do as they honestly believe their electorate wishes them to do.
Marc Dalton has made little or no effort to guide the course of events in Maple Ridge/Mission according to the will of the people, preferring to be Liberal foot soldier. In so doing, he has abrogated that duty to the people of his riding.
We need to recall Marc Dalton in order that we may elect someone who will represent the people of Maple Ridge/Mission.
If you would like to know more, go to www.DoneWithDalton.com.
Christopher Ryan
Mission