Mary-Ann Graham - BC Conservatives

[NAB]

Looks like someone just chooses to not read or follow the moderator's requests.

Jo wrote: "Don't post promotional posts in another candidate's forum."

Nab

[hellomynameis]

Wow, the Alan Clarke campaign is dense.

There has been some bad behaviour in these political threads. It is wise to remember that your identity is not concealed from us. We do see what games are being played, and by whom.

Some commonsense rules:

Don't post promotional posts in another candidate's forum.

[Jo]

The posts have now been removed, along with the member in question.

[Mary-Ann]

Good Morning!

The adoption comment was made by Peter. There is no mention of adoption in our platform. Of course, adoption has always been an option for a woman who finds herself in a situation but never proposed by any party to be a mandatory action. On this particular issue, why are you not asking Peter?

Homelessness is a symptom of society. There are many reasons why people are on the street. They have their own stories. We should treat them with compassion. In this time of economic downturn, the possibility of those on the edge going over and onto the street is great. We need to catch them before they fall.

The BC Conservatives want to re-open Mental Health Facilities. This action would take many people off the street as well as free up our hospitals a little. Those facilities should never have been closed without a proper plan in place and an ongoing follow-up to ensure the health and safety of persons affected. Shame!

Encourage more low cost housing developments in partnership with local government, service societies and private sector.

Education and retraining should be made available for those who have lost their jobs.

Ensure people get timely health care so that temporary situations do not become permament.

Poverty needs to be eliminated. Ensuring that there is an appropriate assistance plan to give people the necessary funds and support to actually be able have the basics. One should not have to choose between food and heat for example.

The gaps in the continuum of care for those with addictions needs to be plugged. There is a revolving door happening with the treatment centers because there is not enough recovery, transition or assisted living for those who have gone through the treatment but have no where to go. Staying straight is hard enough without having to deal with the day to day life of trying to survive. These persons need what we need to function and not relapse into their past lives.

Just a note of information. Last year in March, I was very excited to be present at the announcement by Rich Coleman from the provincial government and the city that 30 million dollars was coming to Kelowna for low income housing. The cities part was to provide the land which they did on Rutland Rd, Tutt St and Boyce. Request for proposals went out to the public to get the partner that would manage each development. The John Howard Society won the opportunity to manage the Rutland Rd facility. They have done everything they needed up to and including the development permit approval from the city. It will not be done anytime soon as the money is not forthcoming from the province. They say don't have it. It has been promised in too many places. A promise broken. Money spent. Time wasted. Hope deflated. I want people to understand that the John Howard Society have done everything right and on time and it is not any fault of their own that puts them in this situation. Will the other projects actually get funded when they reach the point of putting the shovel in the ground as well? What about the other projects all over the province. Break one promise, break them all?

Further to this, the provincial government has recently announced last month that 22.7 million dollars will be spent in Kelowna. It is not new money. It is the same money promised as last year, however, short 7.3 million.

Last week it was announced that there is money to be spent in Lake Country for the expansion of the Senior's Residence. Will this really happen? (I hope so) Is this the same money that was promised to Kelowna? (Ithink so but no proof) All of these projects are required. Please don't play games with people's lives.

Homelessness, poverty, health, education, drug addiction and social services are interconnected and need to be looked at in conjuction with each other. I believe government needs to change how they govern from pillars to a holistic approach. Investment in one aspect can produce savings in another and improve lives at the same time. Budgets need to be addressed differently to serve customers (people) more efficiently.

Homelessness itself is not a disease but is a symptom that we can cure if we take the time and compassion to address the underlying causes. I would ask that each one of us take a moment and try to imagine what it is like to live just one day on the street knowing that tomorrow would be the same. Society is part of the problem and let us not forget that.

Thank you once again for allowing me to express myself. It is so nice to be able write without worrying about the word count.

Mary-Ann

[Mary-Ann]

I see Joe Cardoso as a gift from the Liberals. The whole situation in the Southern Interior is indicative of how the Liberal Government and Party is run. The need for a grassroots party that respects the citizens it wishes to represent is very much needed here in Britich Columbia at this time and always. The BC Conservatives is that party. People before Party. So I say Thank you Gordon for giving us Joe.

Mary-Ann

)

[hellomynameis]

Mary-Ann, what is your and your party's view of the current status of gay marriage in BC? Should the issue be revisited?

Also, I found this action-point in your parties platform:

Repeal the Corren Agreement and Restore the Principle of Parental Rights in the Education System for BC Children

Could you explain what rights have been taken away from parents and how your party plans on restoring them?

[Freefalling]

Good Morning!

The adoption comment was made by Peter. There is no mention of adoption in our platform. Of course, adoption has always been an option for a woman who finds herself in a situation but never proposed by any party to be a mandatory action. On this particular issue, why are you not asking Peter?

Mary-Ann

The reason I ask you is because your a representative of your party. When anyone says something in your party, you better have an answer for it, even if you did not make the statement. Peter does not live in my riding. So no, I will not ask him, I will ask you, the candidate in my riding. Just because you didn't make the statement, does not mean that you will not be asked for clarification on the subject!

[Phoenix Within]

Ensure people get timely health care so that temporary situations do not become permanent.

Vancouver Interior Health has forecasted a 50% vacancy in nursing by 2016. I imagine Central Interior numbers will be similar. Better get planning.

[Freefalling]

Mary-Anne, I just don't understand how your party is 'grassroots'. Institutionalization is yet another band-aid solution instead of finding and understanding the root problem. Putting mentally-ill people into a facility with drug therapy, is only addressing the 'symptom'. I think we need to help people individually, instead of hiding them in institutions with padded rooms and white-jacketed attendants. Can you describe to me exactly how these facilities will be run? The reasons these places were shut down were because they often violated human rights and forced people to take prescription drugs that intensified problems and created even more addictions. For example, a grass-roots approach to curing lung cancer is to get people to never start/quit smoking. A top-down approach is treating the lung cancer cancer patient who smoked with chemotherapy. Which is similar to your approach to institutions. So, what is your "grass-roots" plan to help the people before they end up in these institutions?

[issueman]

AND...

your views on

ABORTION ....

please.

[Mary-Ann]

Good Morning

I believe in the sanctity of life. It is not my place to tell others how to deal with their individual situation. I would encourage persons to be fully aware of the ramifications of having an abortion. There is the emotional, mental, physical and spiritual aspects to consider. There should be a neutral agency with programs for expectant mothers with unexpected pregnancies that goes through all the options unbiasedly. I have a 4 month old grandson that I cherish. I am very pleased that my unmarried daughter never considered an abortion. Abortion should not be used as a birth control method.

Never, did I say institution. I am looking towards group home ideas and facilities such as we have for seniors. They are not locked up or put in rubber rooms. I see a home-like environment where they have a bed, food and the necessities to have a quality of life that eludes them on the street. This would also allow them to pariciapate in society by getting jobs. Not all need medication. Let's help them reach their potential. We went from one extreme to another. Shutting down institutions to putting people onto the streets. Neither one sounds humane to me. I am only referring to those that do not have the ability to live by themselves and do not have the family support.

Concerning the adoption comment, you are right I do need to respond on behalf of myself when a comment is made that does not represent myself or the party. I will repeat that Peter's comment reflected his own experience with adoption. His comment was then misquoted in this forum to make it even worse. Peter showed his own humanity from a different perspective. Never did he mean to take babies away from mothers. Definitely not the case. There needs to be more resources provided to help those that need assistance for whatever reason to ensure that children do not live in poverty, escape the drug trap and move on to being successful contributors to society.

The BC Conservatives believe in the traditional definition of marriage - between a man and woman. Personally, I agree, however, it is not my place to judge another's preference. I treat all people with compassion.

I disagree with the Corren Agreement in principle, I don't think one group should have a special agreement with the government to dictate the curriculum of the education system. Should we have special agreements with every special interest group with issues? My concern is that the inference of this agreement could lead to it being infiltrated through K-12 where parents are not able to bow out such as they can for sex education. When I went to school, we had bible reading, the Lord's Prayer, Christmas Concerts, O Canada and God Save the Queen. We removed traditional activities from the school system that were apparently deemed offensive to some and now we add something that could be deemed offensive to others, to the curriculum. I am not totally against the issue being in the Social Justice course as this course is elective and talks of persection of any minority group being unacceptable. I really believe that the education system needs to get back to the ABCs and 123s. We are generating students who can not spell or add. There was no consultation with parents or teachers to before signing this agreement. People need to be included in major decisions such as this before agreements are reached.

The Health Care system needs to be revamped so that the emphasis is not on the hospitals but on ways to keep people out of the hospitals. We will invest on prevention, seniors facilities and home care, facilities for the mentally ill, total continuum of care for drug addisctions and appropriate community based resources.

I hope I haven't missed anything.

Mary-Ann

[Russell - Winfield]

What your saying to Women Voters Mary-Ann, is that you don't believe in "Freedom of choice for Women" Is that correct? Yes or No?

[hellomynameis]

...
The BC Conservatives believe in the traditional definition of marriage - between a man and woman. Personally, I agree, however, it is not my place to judge another's preference. I treat all people with compassion...

But what about how the BC Conservative party and its candidates translate their beliefs and views into legislative action?

My concern is that the inference of this agreement could lead to it being infiltrated through K-12 where parents are not able to bow out such as they can for sex education.

What exactly is the inference of the agreement?

[Freefalling]

Thanks for clarifying that Mary-Anne, keep up the hard work, you are for sure winning some votes by participating here, unlike the other candidates. It shows your true passion and strengths...one-on-one and straight up talk! Good luck at the All Candidates forum on Wednesday

[Lady tehMa]

What your saying to Women Voters Mary-Ann, is that you don't believe in "Freedom of choice for Women" Is that correct? Yes or No?

@ Russell - Winfield: I must thank you, really. You and your ilk have certainly opened my eyes to the sort that Alan Clarke attracts to his campaign, and as a result I have firmly decided that Mary-Ann Graham has MY vote. I don't vote party, I vote person. Mary-Ann has impressed me again and again with her composure and honesty (and a lack of sock-puppets defiling other threads). So thank you again for annoying me enough that I made my decision, early enough to encourage all MY family and friends who were on the fence to do the same.

Mary-Ann, I will do my best to encourage people to read for themselves what a good choice you are.