Skip to main content

“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

MLA Gavin Dew: NDP Policies Driving Street Disorder and Crushing Small Business


Conservative MLA Gavin Dew (Kelowna–Mission), Opposition Critic for Jobs, Economic Development, and Innovation, says small businesses across British Columbia are being abandoned by the NDP government in the face of rising vandalism, violence, and street disorder.

A new survey from the Business Improvement Areas of BC (BIABC) found:

  • 67% of downtown businesses report street disorder has worsened in the past year, fueled by drugs, mental health crises, and homelessness.

  • 74% of business owners say staff fear and anxiety have increased.

  • 61% face rising operating costs linked to crime and vandalism.

  • Nearly 1 in 5 businesses warn they may not survive another year if conditions do not improve.


“Small businesses have been left to fend for themselves,” said Dew. 

“Every day brings another story of property crime, open drug use, violence, or even a body found outside a storefront. The NDP’s failed policies are making the situation worse.": 

  • Drug decriminalization without recovery supports;

  • A refusal to invest in addiction treatment and recovery;

  • A revolving-door justice system that fails to deal with prolific offenders.


Dew said the impact extends far beyond storefronts, warning that rock-bottom business confidence and the highest youth unemployment since the NDP ’90s are signs of deeper economic failure.

“These are heartbreaking and frustrating issues, but talk isn’t enough. We need action - real investments and policy changes that tackle the root causes of mental health, addiction, and homelessness,” Dew added.

 

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

FORSETH -- Focus on the nine things I mentioned. That’s what will allow the Conservative Party to win the next election

IMAGE CREDIT:   Darryl Dyck, the Canadian Press. I thought I had already made up my mind who I would be ranking on my ballot, in the Conservative Party of BC leadership race; now I am not so sure.  That means that, at least for me, and perhaps many others, it’s a good thing voting hasn’t already taken place. There were initially only one or two of the candidates that I thought might be a little too right of centre for my liking, now it seems that list is growing. I consider myself more closely aligned with what used to be called a Progressive Conservative, regardless, I feel more than comfortable within the Conservative Party of BC.  Some, however, in messages to me on my political Facebook page, have been rather, shall we say, a bit mean-spirited in comments they’ve made about my ‘purity’ as a conservative. To tell you the truth, I really don’t care! Some leadership candidates, in comments made online, have also been raising the issue of who is a pure enough conservati...
Post a Comment
Read more

WARD STAMER -- Those are REAL forestry numbers, not just made-up numbers

The following is a condensed version of remarks Kamloops – North Thompson MLA Ward Stamer’s made, regarding Forestry, in the BC Legislature, on Tuesday afternoon (02/24/2026)   Let’s talk a little bit, when we talk about Budget 2026, about the forest industry, which is near and dear to my heart. Forestry remains one of British Columbia’s foundational industries. It’s a pillar that built this province. Entire communities depend upon it. Interior towns, northern communities, Vancouver Island regions, the Kootenays, the Lower Mainland, with manufacturing facilities in Surrey and Maple Ridge, just to name a few — everywhere in BC is touched by forestry. One word that was not mentioned in Budget 2026 was forestry. That’s a shame, an incredible shame. It wasn’t an oversight – it was intentional. This government has driven forestry into the ground .... INTO THE GROUND! We can talk a little bit about some of the initiatives that this government has brought forth, to try to resurrect ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Your government has a gambling problem (Troy Media)

Provinces call it “revenue,” but it looks a lot like exploitation of the marginalized The odds of winning Lotto Max are about 1 in 33 million. You’re statistically more likely to be struck by lightning than to win it. But your government is betting that statistics won’t hold you back; they’re counting on it. Across Canada, provincial governments not only regulate gambling, they also maintain a monopoly on lottery and gaming by owning and operating the entire legal market. That means every scratch card is government-issued, gambling odds are government-set, casino ads are government-funded and lottery billboards are government-paid. And these are not incidental government activities. They generate significant revenues that governments have powerful incentives to expand, not constrain. It would be one thing for our governments to encourage us to engage in healthy activities. We can quibble about whether the government should be trying to convince us to be more active or eat more vegetabl...
Post a Comment
Read more

Labels

Show more