Dear Editor:
Re: Emails reveal Liberals rigging hospital review, Burnaby NOW, Oct. 26.
The report on the Burnaby Hospital community consultation committee is another example of how broken our political systems are in British Columbia generally and in Burnaby specifically.
When committees are partisan, it is not fair and not in the best interest of the public. However, it should not come as a surprise to Ms. Kathy Corrigan that committees spearheaded by our elected officials, either Liberal and NDP, are politically influenced. Anyone who observes local politics in Burnaby would have recognized from the start that
this committee is composed of friends and sympathizers of the Liberal party. I would argue that an NDP government would do no less to advance their own agenda.
One solution to this ongoing problem would be to have a bipartisan committee selection process similar to a jury selection where eligible committee candidates would have to be approved by elected officials from all sides.
On a separate but related note, how did the B.C. NDP intercept the private emails of Liberal committee members? One thing I will agree with the premier on is that the partisan culture in the Legislature is indeed "sick," and it looks like that won't change anytime soon.
Rick McGowan, Burnaby Municipal Greens
