From The Advocate, September 2012

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NDP leader promises “positive, serious agenda” to meet BC’s “profound desire” for change

Adrian Dix featured speaker at 2012 BC FORUM AGM

Published September 2012 - A young man approached Adrian Dix as he was using public transit to get to his next meeting. “Are you going to win?” he said. “Yes, I think we can win if we work really hard,” said Dix.

“You have to win,” said the young man.

“No pressure,” thought Dix.

The BC NDP Leader shared that experience as he addressed the BC FORUM annual general meeting on June 13, the fifth year he has spoken directly with our members.

“The turnout here today is a sign of the determination of people to bring change to our province,” said Dix.

“Everywhere I go – after 11 years of Liberal government in B.C. and six years of Conservative government in Ottawa – there’s a profound desire for change, a desire to take back our democracy,” he said.

However, there is no guarantee of an NDP victory.

At the time he was speaking, 17 months before an election, the B.C. Liberals had launched a $1.5 million advertising campaign to attack Dix and the party – an unprecedented attack at that stage in the electoral cycle. They’ve set up a business group to sponsor even more attacks.

Dix said the party could respond in kind, with more old-fashioned, nasty political attacks.

“We’re not going to do that. When you win by tearing down the other side, you have no mandate to implement the change that’s required. And secondly, fewer and fewer people want to be involved,” he said.

Dix noted that 1.7 million British Columbians did not vote in the last provincial election.

“It’s not possible to bring those people back into the political process if we run personal attack ads. We’re going to hold the government accountable, but there will be no personal attacks,” he said.

The BC NDP Leader said that getting people involved requires putting forward an agenda that’s positive, and takes people seriously. Speaking without notes, he discussed a wide range of issues and options to address inequality and build a sustainable future.

“It’s about us as a community. It’s about people,” he said.

“We’re saying what we’re going to do. We’re saying how we’re going to pay for it. We’re making practical suggestions. This is the hard road to victory. We really need your help. We need a little bit more help this time. And if we win, we’ll have a mandate for change,” said Dix.