Editor,
I read with interest the Cariboo North MLA’s thoughts on the provincial budget and the associated editorial in the Quesnel Observer.
Having served two terms as an Opposition MLA, I fully understand and appreciate the role the Opposition plays in our legislative system and the way political parties have distorted that role from being one of reasoned opposition and debate to petty partisanship.
Unfortunately, the Observer’s coverage of the budget and the MLA’s claims about it fall into the latter category.
There hasn’t been an Opposition party in British Columbia that has not claimed that rural B.C. is shortchanged by the party in power in Victoria.
When Gordon Campbell was premier, people referred to rural B.C. as the “hurtlands” a tongue-in-cheek reference to his failed Heartland Strategy.
For some longtime political commentators, rural B.C. has always been “beyond Hope” under successive Social Credit, NDP and Liberal governments. I doubt that sentiment would change if the Greens ever gained power.
So, making the claim the budget is an “assault on 250” is simply the latest catch phrase for an Opposition party seeking to inflame rural residents against Victoria. (BTW: the area code for Victoria is 250, so the catch phrase makes little sense.)
To suggest that rural B.C. is not in the budget is, simply put, nonsense.
Every program announced in the budget is a province-wide initiative: increased childcare funding, affordable housing initiatives, MSP relief, additional supports for seniors, reduced costs for prescription drugs, funding for Native Friendship centres, etc.
All of these spending increases and new programs will positively benefit people in every area code in the province.
To suggest that there are no major capital spending projects outside the Lower Mainland is likewise nonsensical.
The $100-million-plus Cariboo Memorial Hospital renovation and addition, and the $380-million new hospital in Terrace have both been announced.
Closer to home: we’re hoping the addition to G.R. Baker Memorial Hospital will also be announced this year after formal consultations with the Lhtako Dene are completed.
We’ve also never been closer to an announcement of capital funding for a new Junior School (which we’ll find out about this March), and significant improvements along the Highway 97 corridor through Quesnel.
The MLA’s claim that the government is under funding Wildfire Protection and Recovery is, again, simply playing to people’s fears, as the NDP actually increased the budget this year over last.
But, the provincial government has always underfunded wildfire costs in the annual budget (including every year of the 16 years the Liberals were in power) and paid the actual costs, if higher than budgeted, out of contingency or surplus at the end of the fiscal year. So, there’s no smoking gun here either.
Finally, the MLA’s claim the NDP propose to spend double what they take in is simply very strange math, as the budget tabled by the government is projected to be balanced each year for the next three years with modest surpluses in each year – indicating they will be taking in more revenue than they will be spending.
And that’s where the fundamental difference lies in the NDP’s budget over the ones tabled under the Liberal government: the NDP will be increasing various taxes and fees to cover their new program costs.
The real debate in this province should be: do people want better programs and services from government and, if so, how do they want to pay for them.
The NDP have indicated in their budget that they are willing to increase fees and taxes to pay for improved services and programs.
It would be interesting to hear from the Opposition Liberals how they would pay for similar, much-needed improvements if they were in power.
(BTW: the looming BC Hydro and ICBC fee increases are solely the result of the gross mismanagement of those corporations by the previous government.)
Bob Simpson
Former Opposition MLA