Thank-you so much for that very warm welcome.

And thank-you to Doug Watkin for the gracious invitation to join you today.

I know that earlier this week Peter Holt announced that he is leaving as your Executive Director.

And I just want to add my voice to those thanking Peter for his efforts. I am sure that he will be missed.

It’s always such pleasure to come to Surrey.

I have come to know the community very well over the last few years, and I have developed a real affection for your city.

In the provincial campaign, the Premier and I spent a great deal time touring Surrey in our respective campaign busses.

I remember our bus was parked at a hotel not far from here so the media could file their stories, and sure enough as we pulled out of the parking lot, the Premier’s bus was coming in behind us.

In a provincial campaign, that is something of a coincidence.

But not that surprising when you consider how important Surrey is to the province.

It’s BC’s second largest city, its fastest growing, one its most diverse, and an economic engine for whole province.

And I am very proud to have such excellent representation from the South Fraser region in my caucus.

Bruce, Jagrup, Sue, Harry and Guy are a very tenacious team.

And they do an excellent job standing up for Surrey in the Legislature.

Bruce and Harry are here with us today.

You know, it’s something of an annual tradition for me to visit the Surrey Board of Trade to speak to you soon after the provincial budget.

Last year, I recall that following my speech some expressed surprise that an NDP Leader would choose a business audience for her first post-budget remarks.

As I said at the time, if that’s a surprise, then what I’ve had to say to business audiences like this one might come as a shock.

But really there is no reason to be taken aback.

Because as Leader of the NDP I have worked hard to reach out and build bridges to BC’s business community – small, medium and large – and to make the case that the traditional political divides in this province should no longer shape our relationship.

As I have said many times, in today’s economy New Democrats and business leaders share far more in common than ever before.

And there is a simple reason for that:

It’s because many business leaders and New Democrats recognize that a dynamic economy, strong communities, social inclusion and a strong environment go hand in hand.

Today, this is an economic fact of life.

You certainly recognize that through your work on issues like crime and safety in conjunction with community leaders like Diane Watts and Councillor Villeneuve.

I know that Doug travelled with Diane to Great Britain recently to look at some of the innovative crime reduction strategies the government is implementing.

And Diane and Judy have both been very active on tackling homelessness which I will talk about a little later.

What business and community leaders like you recognize is that investments in people, communities and our environment are investments in opportunity.

And opportunity is the life-blood of strong, inclusive communities and of innovation, growth, and entrepreneurial drive.

It’s possible to grow the economy and neglect these investments.

But that growth won’t last for long because it doesn’t generate its own momentum.

And that is precisely why I believe the current government is taking BC in the wrong direction, and why we need to change our long-term strategy.

There is a lot of spin and PR that accompanies every Throne Speech and every budget.

But this year’s Throne Speech and Budget set a new standard.

When you cut through that fog, one key theme emerges.

The budget is a missed opportunity.

In the Throne Speech, the Premier talked about the need to secure our future.

But on fundamental issues the government is failing to take the steps necessary to do just that.

Our economy is very strong. And there are a lot of great things going on.

Surrey is a wonderful example of that.

The recipient of the Surrey Board of Trade Business Person of the year, Kulwinder Sanghera, the President of South Asian Broadcasting is an excellent example of the kind of business skill this community Surrey is home to.

But underlying that growth are some very concerning developments.

And we are wasting the unique opportunity we have today to address them.

And as result your business – and the province’s economy – will pay a heavy price – not right away, but over the long-term.

Today I want to point to a few of these developments.

One is obvious to anyone who lives in Surrey, and that’s transportation infrastructure.

Traffic gridlock is a drag on our economy.

Your business depends on smooth flow of people and goods that sound modern infrastructure provides.

The government wants to make more room for more cars.

But there are serious and outstanding questions that the transportation minister has not answered about the project.

No one, except the transportation minister, believes the $3 billion price tag. Like the convention centre, the RAV line, the Sea-to-sky highway, and the Olympic Games, we know the final tab will be much higher.

In addition, the government has not addressed concerns about tolling.

And now, with the Premier’s sudden and late conversion on climate change, it’s clear that there is a contradiction between putting more cars on the road and reducing greenhouse gas emissions – a contradiction that is creating a lot of confusion about the government’s plan.

Confusion, by the way, that wasn’t cleared up when the budget was unveiled and it contained next to nothing to fulfill the Premier’s climate change plan. A grand total of $4 million over the next three was allocated to tackle climate change.

The simple truth is that traffic congestion South Fraser has to be addressed. That’s clear to everyone.

And you have a right to expect sustainable, long-term solutions.

So, frankly, it’s shameful that the fastest growing region of the province is falling further and further behind in the development of public transit.

The South Fraser Region is now hundreds of busses short of what this community projected and planned for.

The fact is you are being short-changed on transportation and transit infrastructure and yesterday’s budget did nothing to address that.

And that’s making life harder for you customers and your employees. And that’s bad for business.

Sustainable green infrastructure is a key part – but only one part – of a sustained strategy for long-term prosperity.

Just as importantly, the government is failing to address a fundamental and growing issue that goes the heart of the kind of society BC is becoming.

And that is a more divided society.

And when poverty grows and the middle-class feels squeezed, then often the first casualty is small, community based business.

I want to take few moments to talk about a few of the ways the government has failed to address this growing inequality.

It’s well understood that the start we get in life can shape the direction of our life.

But British Columbia now has the highest child poverty rate in the country.

One in four children in this province lives below the poverty line.

And so when such a large group of youngsters in BC starts so far behind, we know that’s going to have a profound impact on the health of our communities over the next generation.

This is particularly true in Surrey -- a city with the largest number of children under six years of age, the largest school district and one the largest needs for after-school care in the province.

But the BC Liberals are cutting child care. And they’re making it harder for working parents – your employees and your customers to find safe affordable care for their kids.

Surrey City Council has made this a priority because they know what kind of impact this having. And Mayor Watts and City Council are working hard to get the government’s attention.

But again, yesterday’s budget did nothing to address this crisis and passed up the opportunity to make life better for average families and to make one of the most important investments possible in the future of our province.

In fact the budget didn’t even mention child care.

The government’s failure on child care and child poverty is compounded in Surrey by its failure to address the growing homelessness crisis.

Again, this crisis has profound economic consequences.

In my community, conventions have been cancelled because business people don’t want to come to a city where homelessness is out of control.

And in Surrey, the latest statistics I’ve seen show that over the course of year there are some 2,000 people living on city streets.

Hyland House – Surrey’s only major shelter – turned away over 3100 people last year, up from 970 the year before and 199, the year before that.

Again, the provincial government has shown no leadership on dealing with this crisis.

The business community certainly has.

The Vancouver Board of Trade, Retail B.C. and the Council of Tourism Associations amongst others has raised this concern again and again, pleading with the Premier to take action.

And the City of Surrey, like municipalities throughout BC, have been left on their own to tackle this issue.

Now after six years of inaction on housing and homelessness, the government says it’s got a plan.

But again, like climate change plan, the government’s housing plan is a lot less than meets the eye.

In fact, there is no plan at all.

There is no long-term commitment to affordable housing, and the government actually converting existing social housing to supportive housing units for seniors – robbing Peter to pay Paul

And the budget funds only 900 shelter beds for the whole province, much less for Surrey.

But delivering next to nothing on housing is better than what the government delivered on health care.

And I know from years of experience and from my own caucus just how important health care is to this community, and the consequences of ongoing government inaction for the people of Surrey.

The promised expansion of Surrey Memorial Hospital – the busiest in the province – keeps on getting pushed back.Construction is now not slated to begin until 2008.

This is just not acceptable.

When the government demolished St. Mary’s, the BC Liberals were warned about the impact at Surrey Memorial.

But nothing was done then, and nothing gets done now.

In the last few weeks, these issues have come to a head.Resignations, firings and a general sense of chaos has overtaken the administration of public health care.

The Fraser Health Authority hasn’t even signed off its own budget.

The only significant health announcement in the budget was an 18 per cent increase to the budget for the health minister’s office.

Quality health services are what people look for when they come to a community.

Emergency gridlock, code purples, and long-term care bed closures, aren’t good for Surrey and they aren’t good for business.

The truth is that Premier moves far too quickly from issue to issue.

He makes big promises and then fails to follow through

There is a growing sense that his agenda is driven not by the needs of tomorrow, but by the headlines of today.

What British Columbia needs to succeed is a sustained agenda that invests in the most important commodity we possess.

Our people, our communities, and our families.

And we need to work in partnership with other governments, business and working people to meet our goals.

A renewed agenda for British Columbia must focus on average families who struggle everyday to balance to work home, to educate their children, care for their parents, and save for the future.

Not as a short-term political strategy, but as a sustained social and economic plan for BC’s future.

Under my leadership the NDP Opposition is providing that alternative.

A climate change plan with established and achievable targets that begin now not 13 years in the future.

A plan to tackle homelessness with new investments in affordable housing.

A plan to renew public health care.

And a plan to invest in children and keep the economy growing.

That why I’m firmly committed to policies that promote economic growth. And it’s why I am committed to building strong healthy communities where all citizens can share in the province’s future.

I’ve told business audiences the same thing I’ve told labour audiences and other.

British Columbians can count on me to follow basic principles:

Fiscal responsibility.

A commitment to a strong business climate and a competitive taxes.

Openness and transparency

An emphasis on helping societies’ most vulnerable, especially kids

And a renewed commitment to our environment.

Taken together, these priorities are part of a new vision for British Columbia.

A vision that isn’t wedded to the politics and the practices of the past.

But one that looks to a brighter future and is rooted in the hopes, aspirations, and needs of average families.

By the basic values I grew up with and that I share with the vast majority of British Columbians – caring, compassion and common sense.

I am proud to be a British Columbian.

And it is a great privilege to serve the people of our great province.

The hardworking women and men, like you in this room, who create the wealth that drive BC forward.

We are a great province with enormous potential to show the way forward.

And if we embrace a new style of leadership that puts working people at the heart of our province, we can build a prosperous, dynamic province for all.

Every person and every community.

And we’ll leave no one behind on our journey.

Thank you again for inviting me today.