The failure of the Campbell government to keep its promise to deliver 5,000 long term care beds was acknowledged in the February 8, 2005, Throne Speech, but at a staged cabinet meeting on December 3, 2002, the intent to break the promise was already clear. Shirley Bond, the new Health Minster, admitted that by the end of May 2005 there will have been a net gain of only 170 beds.

The "New Era Document" said "We know there's an urgent need for 4,200 additional community care beds right now, and 9,000 beds within 15 years." That book of promises is no longer available on the BC Liberal website, but those who kept a copy know that on page 25, under a picture of Katherine Whittred, the precise promise was made to "Work with non-profit societies to build and operate an additional 5,000 new intermediate and long term care beds by 2006." The promise didn't say work with the private sector to provide more social housing for seniors. It didn't say open more assisted living units and count them as long term care. The promise was precise and it was preceded with a statement saying that the promise was just a start, 5,000 beds by 2006 and 9,000 additional beds are needed by 2016.

On June 5, 2001, Katherine Whittred was made Minister of State for Intermediate, Long Term and Home Care. On December 3, 2002, she made a presentation at a staged cabinet meeting which created confusion as she backed away from the campaign promise. During that meeting she said: "From the program, of the 3,500 units that we discussed with B.C. Housing and with Minister Abbott, 1,000 of those are going to be rent supplements to the private sector. This is the quickest way that we can actually get beds on board, because the beds already exist. These can be on stream as early as the spring of 2003. That is the plan - that they will be able to start admitting clients between April and July of 2003." There is a big difference between social housing and the promise of "5,000 new intermediate and long term care beds by 2006." There was a time when intermediate and long term care assured staffing ratios. Assisted living has a place but it is no substitute for those who need intermediate and long term care beds. "Bed blockers" in acute hospitals need residential care, not a social housing unit with a visit by a homemaker once a week.

In the first question period of the last sitting of the legislature before the election, the expanded three member NDP caucus focused on the Campbell government's broken promise to provide 5,000 long term care beds. Under questioning from Jenny Kwan, Bond claimed that the promised 5,000 beds would be delivered by 2008. She didn't say whether those would be intermediate and long term care beds or social housing units with a weekly visit from a homemaker.