The B.C. Liberals are breaking their promise to seniors again. Gordon Campbell wants us believe that they’ve kept their promise to build 5,000 new long term care beds.  He’s not telling the truth.  The BCMA says Campbell has actually cut beds. Gordon Campbell keeps repeating his promise and breaks it every time.   

The evolution of a B.C. Liberal promise: 

2001:   

To ‘work with non-profit societies to build and operate an additional 5,000 new intermediate and long term care beds by 2006.’ 

2005:    

To ‘complete 5,000 new residential care and assisted living beds by 2008, including 1700 units currently under construction.’ 

2008:     

‘Government made a commitment to build 5,000 net-new residential care beds, assisted living units and supportive housing with home support by December 2008.’ 

What the BCMA says:   

“Since 2001, government has focused on increasing the number of assisted living units. However, residential care beds and assisted living units are not interchangeable because the care needs between residential and assisted living patients are different.” (“Physicians Speak Up”, BCMA submission to the Conversation on Health, June 2007)

Breaking Promises 101:  Baffle and Confuse

Tactic 1:   Move the goal posts; change how to label and count new beds; 

Tactic 2:   Refuse to provide details on how new numbers are arrived at; and

Tactic 3:   Reword your broken promise.  Repeat as necessary. 

Broken promise #1:  to build 5,000 new residential care beds by [fill in year here]

• According to the BCMA, between 2001 and 2007 there was actually a net decline of 553 beds.
• According to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, between 2002 and 2004 the Campbell government closed 26 residential care facilities, representing 15% of bed stock. (This action was taken in the absence of any available replacement beds and led to further overcrowding at hospitals.)
• According to Statistics Canada, in 2005/06 B.C. spent the least nationally on residential care at $1,874 per-capita and had the lowest number of residential care beds per-capita in Canada at 36.5 (for those aged 65+). 

Broken promise #2: to work with non profit societies to build and operate the beds     

Despite many non-profit organizations having a long history of delivering care to seniors, they have been completely left out. Beds are closed in government and non-profit operated nursing homes and almost all replacement beds are opened in private facilities.

Adrian Dix

Vancouver-Kingsway

Adrian Dix was elected leader of the BC New Democrats in April 2011.

Guy Gentner

Delta North

Guy Gentner was re-elected as the MLA for Delta North on May 12, 2009. He was first elected to the Legislature May 17, 2005.