Here is just one brief exchange from the BC Legislature this afternoon
(February 20, 2012), which you can read for yourself in Hansard
Independent MLA Bob Simpson:
Contrary to the Minister of Education's characterization of this, these
are not hypothetical dollars going to hypothetical projects. These are real
dollars from operating budgets within the public sector that could go to other
things — to classrooms, to surgeries, to seniors care. The government has had a
long time to look that at this. The Minister of Education is indicating that
the firewall has to be built. My question to the Minister of Environment is:
will school districts and public authorities have to contribute to the Pacific
Carbon Trust at $25 a ton this year — yes or no?
And the response from the Environment Minister, Terry Lake?
Well, as I mentioned, we have been engaging school boards, health
authorities, public sector organizations. We have had some very good meetings.
As we move through, as a leader on this file, we expect to improve our policies
as we move forward. We intend to continue to improve all of our policies, and
this is one that we will see, I think, an improved result moving forward.
It seems fairly obvious, given the waffled answer of the Environment Minister, that the 'unwaffled' answer to this question is,
"yes".
Yes, the government will continue to raid the Education Ministry to
pay into Pacific Carbon Trust, which in turn gives that money to profitable business
such as Encana.
What does that tell you about how important children and families are to
this government?
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