TORIES' TRUE COLOURS SHOW THROUGH

The true colours of the Harper government are rarely displayed in
public. Two recent events have shown those true colours in
ideologically-driven decisions.

The first concerns Insite, the needle exchange program in Vancouver.
All peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies show that this
clinic has reduced incidents of drug overdosing and other such
problems. The benefit to users of the clinic - and thus to us as
taxpayers is proven. The recent Vienna conference confirmed this to
be true internationally. Even studies by the RCMP support the clinic.
Yet due to the bias of Harper and his supporters, our government is
attempting to close this clinic and prevent further such clinics in
other cities.

Now we have the census. There was no need to change the former system
- - it provided reliable information necessary in so many decisions.
The experts supported it, the public made nary a complaint. But
Minister Clement determined that the good system had to be replaced
by a poor one, all in aid of a political ideology that is rarely
given voice in public. Rather than admit a mistake, Clement digs in
with the stubbornness of an old root.

There have been other such decisions by this government, motivated
not be reason or sound judgment but by blind ideology.

Let us return to a pragmatic government, one motivated our common
good and not rigidly by some religious or political ideology. The
Conservatives have shown that they prefer to make decisions behind
closed doors, blind to all evidence. It is time for a change.

Willow Arune

Prince George