B.C. premier Gordon Campbell’s new bike clothes

Georgia Straight, March 18, 2010
By Lana Popham

We all know the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale about the self-absorbed emperor who foolishly believes he is wearing a suit made of cloth that is visible only to those who are intelligent and upstanding. He can’t see the cloth himself, but pretends otherwise so as to not lose face. As he parades naked through the town, a child calls out “But he isn’t wearing anything at all!” and the obvious truth is revealed.

I was reminded of this story recently while watching a video clip from 2008 on the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure Web site. Premier Gordon Campbell is dressed in his finest cycling outfit and proudly announcing $31 million for cycling infrastructure.

The video is still featured on the government’s site, and the press release of $31 million is still trumpeted as news. Their promise is exciting:

Cyclists throughout British Columbia will benefit from new, safe and high-quality cycling trails, bike lanes, bike lockers and more, thanks to Bike BC, a $31-million program for cycling infrastructure.


Bike BC is one of the largest investments the Province has ever made in building and improving cycling infrastructure in communities across the province. This will enhance cycling as an option for people to commute, run errands or spend their leisure time.


The program is a strategic investment to build important cycling corridors of regional and provincial significance and will be awarded province wide over the next three years. Some possible projects are new bike trails and cycling lanes, improvements to existing cycling infrastructure, and providing for bike lockers and other equipment that makes cycling a safer and more convenient option for travelers.


Cycling is a key component of the Province’s strategy for encouraging healthy living and addressing climate change, in conjunction with the Climate Action Plan and the Provincial Transit Plan.

This was an exciting moment for cyclists, cycling advocacy groups, people who support green transportation, and people who believe fighting climate change should be a priority. And it was a moment of relief: the government promised three years of support for initiatives that could address so many things for so many people.

But it was not to be.

No matter how long they continue to try and take credit for this progressive step, the fact is it is a step that was never taken.

The $31 million was cancelled just as surely as the cycling infrastructure was never completed. In fact, funding for cycling support was cut in the budget this month by more than 66 percent. Another broken promise.

And to add insult to injury, the HST will create a seven-percent increase in the cost of bikes, bike gear, and bike repairs. For 30 years there was a PST exemption for these expenses, with successive governments recognizing the health and environmental benefits of cycling. With the imposition of the HST, this government is creating a new disincentive to cycling.

So here is the problem for the government. And believe me it’s a big problem. They have disappointed and deceived a very potent constituency in British Columbia. This is a group who is not necessarily defined by their political stripes, by their age, by their income level, or by any other demographic. This is a group that spans the political spectrum and the province, and they are frustrated and bewildered by this flip flop. It’s three years until the next election—and these people are going to remember.

I think everybody understands our province is going through a period of economic turmoil. We get that. What we don’t understand is how a government can change its values. Values should not be affected by the economy.

In the case of this government, they have gone from touting cycling as key component of the province’s strategy for encouraging healthy living and addressing climate change, to creating a new tax and pretending it’s to fund healthcare.

So it is left for me to say it: the bike clothes are gone and this premier isn’t wearing anything at all.

Lana Popham is a avid cyclist and the MLA for Saanich South on Vancouver Island. Her Web site www.squeakywheels.ca is bringing together cyclists who want the B.C. government to be bike-friendly again.


Original article: http://www.straight.com/article-298838/vancouver/lana-popham-bc-premier-gordon-campbells-new-bike-clothes

Thanks!

Many people helped to make this event a success. First of all, I want to acknowledge Samuel Godfrey, my talented Constituency Assistant. And.... Michael Dayan of Helliwell Productions did a great job behind the camera. I also want to praise the inspired work of Mikael Colville-Andersen, of Copenhagen Consulting. He graciously allowed us to use his photograph in our poster. And thanks to Michele Murphy for designing such a striking poster! The Victoria artist Ami Muranetz created a beautiful and eye-catching banner – thank you! (Click here for Ami’s website) Also thank you Jacob and Amber for your help in postering Victoria. I’d also like to thank my new part-time Constituency Assistant Ben Johnson for all his great help and Mike Vasilev for his excellent volunteer networking efforts. Thanks to Julie Kaye and Bill Gaylord for doing such a good job with the sound system. Mark Hutchison, thank you for your work on the squeakywheels.ca website! And kudos to Pedal Pundit Jamie Ollivier for his poetry and videography. (Click here to see his website). Thanks to the brilliant coffee people at Caffe Fantastico.

Thanks to the cycling industry for showing support, especially bike stores (like Fairfield Bike Store, Russ Hayes, and Capital City Cycles), bike manufacturers like Kona, Rocky Mountain Bicycles, and the Victoria Pedi-Cab Company.

Thanks to all the folks in Nanaimo for showing great initiative and pulling off an excellent event in your home town!

Thanks to all the speakers and the MC Maestro David Cubberley.

And finally, to the 500 cyclists who came out for the rally and the 5000 people who signed the petition: THANK YOU!

Lana Popham MLA, Saanich South Critic for Agriculture and Lands

PS. Check out the latest video from the much-loved “Pedal Pundit” of Vancouver:

Thanks to everyone who helped make the bike rally on Wednesday such a sucesss. The weather was superb and the crowd was even better! Here are a few videos of the event, made by people in the crowd: pedal power!

/A\ News Report on the No HST on Bikes Rally

Thank You!

March 3, 2010.

The rally today was fantastic. We had an amazing turn-out with more than 600 cyclists! People came from as far away as Vancouver and Duncan. There was a really good energy in the crowd. I was also proud to submit the petition to the Legislature this afternoon - it had almost 5000 signatures on it! Thank you to everyone who made this possible. The rally and petition were just the beginning of my efforts to make the BC government bike-friendly again. I'll post more details as soon as I catch my breath! Lana.