Quarterly update shows Liberals lack a plan for all British Columbians, Ralston says
VICTORIA— Finance Minister Carole Taylor’s second quarter financial update shows the B.C. Liberal government has no plan to make sure all British Columbians benefit from the province’s strong economy, NDP Finance Critic Bruce Ralston said today.
“High commodity prices and low interest rates are responsible for continued strong provincial revenues, but
the Finance Minister’s second quarter update doesn’t show that half of British Columbians don’t believe they are benefiting,” said Ralston.
“The simple truth is average British Columbians aren’t getting ahead, and Minister Taylor’s overly optimistic view doesn’t change that.”
Minister Taylor told a news conference Thursday that the projected budget surplus has risen to $2.15 billion. There’s no plan to reinvest that money to fix the problems they’ve created, Ralston said.
“Thanks to the B.C. Liberals, British Columbians continue to pay more and get less,” said Ralston.
“This government has no plan to solve the growing homelessness problem, or address British Columbia’s appalling rate of child poverty in part because they don’t recognize these as real problems.
“Average British Columbians are very aware of these problems because they have to live with them.”
Meanwhile, the Finance Minister continues to fear monger on health care. Shortly before the Conversation on Health was launched this fall, Minister Taylor claimed that health spending would eat up three quarters of the provincial budget by 2017. Using phrases such as “red flags,” she suggested that health spending could account for all budget surpluses over the next three years. Three months ago, she claimed there were an additional $2 billion in cost pressures coming from the Health Ministry. Today, that figure ballooned to $4 billion, but Minister Taylor could not provide any details.
“British Columbians can see through this fear-mongering,” Ralston said. “They understand that this is part of the B.C. Liberal strategy to promote private, two-tiered health care.
“Minister Taylor – and the rest of the Gordon Campbell government – should be focusing their energy on ensuring that everyone in this province benefits from a strong economy,” Ralston said. “They need to stop the spin and get results for average British Columbians.”
