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The future of BC by Gordon Campbell
I've always felt very fortunate to be living in BC, and Canada. We have a lot here that you don't notice until you experience other parts of the world. One of the main things that makes BC great to me is the multiculturalism and the acceptance we have of other cultures. Open minds are often hard to find, but I'm glad we have plenty in Vancouver and at SFU. Hope you enjoy the read and are looking forward to 2010 as much as I am :)
OPINION EDITORIAL
By Gordon Campbell
Premier of British Columbia
December 18, 2009
After a year like 2009, it's hard to imagine what 2010 might bring. We have all felt the effects of the financial turmoil. For some families, 2009 will be remembered as an extremely difficult and challenging time. Most were worried and some lost their jobs. It was, by any measure, a trying year for everyone. And while there are inklings of hope on the horizon, everyone is naturally tentative and reserved about our prospects for the future. One thing we all feel is that it will be different from the past.
As we reflect on the year to come we may all gain some confidence by recognizing how lucky we are to live here in B.C. and Canada. Everyone can still depend on an excellent health care system and for all the challenges our children may face in the world, they continue to benefit from a world-class education system. One of our real tests in the years ahead will be to make their education system and our health services even better so that they are there for the generations that follow us.
Though 2009 was a tough year, we should all remember what can happen when we follow that time-honoured B.C. tradition of rolling up our sleeves and getting to work. In the past year, the very face of our province has changed as hundreds of projects were completed in every corner of British Columbia, setting the stage for the future. Billions were invested in transit and highways, schools, universities and hospitals. Thousands of people – an estimated 27,000 – worked on those projects.
When the world comes to B.C. in February for the 21st Winter Olympic Games, they will see firsthand the province we are building and the country we call home. They will ride the Canada Line, the country’s first direct rapid transit system, linking one of the world's great airports with one of its most liveable cities. They’ll discover the new international crossroads for trade, commerce and education in Prince George. They’ll travel one of the world's most picturesque highways and discover an exciting gateway for the Asia Pacific. And when they experience the Vancouver's Convention Centre, they’ll see the magnificence of wood as a building material, as well as one of the greenest meeting places in the world. All were built here by British Columbians.
Now people are getting excited about their Olympic Games. They should be rightly proud of what they have accomplished. Vancouver 2010 is setting a new Olympic standard and it's being done right here in your province. The Conference Board of Canada predicts that B.C. will lead all Canadian provinces in economic growth in the year ahead, in part because of the boost the Games will provide.
The Olympics will be British Columbia and Canada's time to welcome the world. A quarter-million visitors and three billion television viewers worldwide will see our people, our industries, our communities and everything that B.C. has to offer.
As much as the 2010 Games are a chance to feel pride and excitement as Canadians win gold at home, they are also a launching pad for new economic opportunities and a new place for B.C. on the international stage. As Canada’s Pacific Gateway, British Columbia is uniquely positioned to be the hub for trade, investment and travel for the emerging economies of the Asia-Pacific.
There will be challenges to face and changes to make, but the year ahead will set the course for years to come. The inspiration of the Olympics is reflected in the excitement of our children and the sparkle in their eyes as the Olympic torch passes. That spirit will inspire a generation of British Columbian children to follow their dreams and pursue their passions, and that may be both the most exciting and lasting legacy of the year to come. It is tempting to say we are lucky to live here now, but it is even truer to say people have worked hard for the new year close at hand.
We will show the world a modern, forward-thinking province and a people with an eye to the future; a province that is leading North America in embracing the opportunities of the growing green economy.
The whole world will see and experience British Columbia, a province ready to lead Canada and North America forward into a new time. While we can't predict all that 2010 will bring, we can all work hard to make it a year filled with moments that our children remember for the rest of their lives. If, one year from now, we have captured that promise, 2010 will be a year worth remembering for us all.
OPINION EDITORIAL
By Gordon Campbell
Premier of British Columbia
December 18, 2009
After a year like 2009, it's hard to imagine what 2010 might bring. We have all felt the effects of the financial turmoil. For some families, 2009 will be remembered as an extremely difficult and challenging time. Most were worried and some lost their jobs. It was, by any measure, a trying year for everyone. And while there are inklings of hope on the horizon, everyone is naturally tentative and reserved about our prospects for the future. One thing we all feel is that it will be different from the past.
As we reflect on the year to come we may all gain some confidence by recognizing how lucky we are to live here in B.C. and Canada. Everyone can still depend on an excellent health care system and for all the challenges our children may face in the world, they continue to benefit from a world-class education system. One of our real tests in the years ahead will be to make their education system and our health services even better so that they are there for the generations that follow us.
Though 2009 was a tough year, we should all remember what can happen when we follow that time-honoured B.C. tradition of rolling up our sleeves and getting to work. In the past year, the very face of our province has changed as hundreds of projects were completed in every corner of British Columbia, setting the stage for the future. Billions were invested in transit and highways, schools, universities and hospitals. Thousands of people – an estimated 27,000 – worked on those projects.
When the world comes to B.C. in February for the 21st Winter Olympic Games, they will see firsthand the province we are building and the country we call home. They will ride the Canada Line, the country’s first direct rapid transit system, linking one of the world's great airports with one of its most liveable cities. They’ll discover the new international crossroads for trade, commerce and education in Prince George. They’ll travel one of the world's most picturesque highways and discover an exciting gateway for the Asia Pacific. And when they experience the Vancouver's Convention Centre, they’ll see the magnificence of wood as a building material, as well as one of the greenest meeting places in the world. All were built here by British Columbians.
Now people are getting excited about their Olympic Games. They should be rightly proud of what they have accomplished. Vancouver 2010 is setting a new Olympic standard and it's being done right here in your province. The Conference Board of Canada predicts that B.C. will lead all Canadian provinces in economic growth in the year ahead, in part because of the boost the Games will provide.
The Olympics will be British Columbia and Canada's time to welcome the world. A quarter-million visitors and three billion television viewers worldwide will see our people, our industries, our communities and everything that B.C. has to offer.
As much as the 2010 Games are a chance to feel pride and excitement as Canadians win gold at home, they are also a launching pad for new economic opportunities and a new place for B.C. on the international stage. As Canada’s Pacific Gateway, British Columbia is uniquely positioned to be the hub for trade, investment and travel for the emerging economies of the Asia-Pacific.
There will be challenges to face and changes to make, but the year ahead will set the course for years to come. The inspiration of the Olympics is reflected in the excitement of our children and the sparkle in their eyes as the Olympic torch passes. That spirit will inspire a generation of British Columbian children to follow their dreams and pursue their passions, and that may be both the most exciting and lasting legacy of the year to come. It is tempting to say we are lucky to live here now, but it is even truer to say people have worked hard for the new year close at hand.
We will show the world a modern, forward-thinking province and a people with an eye to the future; a province that is leading North America in embracing the opportunities of the growing green economy.
The whole world will see and experience British Columbia, a province ready to lead Canada and North America forward into a new time. While we can't predict all that 2010 will bring, we can all work hard to make it a year filled with moments that our children remember for the rest of their lives. If, one year from now, we have captured that promise, 2010 will be a year worth remembering for us all.
Comments
Why do we keep electing this idiot into office?
It does sound like a huge pile of PR bullshit though.