We know that the people of deserve better than two tax and spend parties

This afternoon John Cummins, leader of the BC Conservative Party, spoke to the Surrey Board of Trade.  His speech covered the party's response to the BC Liberal Budget released earlier this week, and how a BC Conservative government would do things differently. Here is the complete text of that speech:

John Cummins, BC Conservative Party Leader

Good afternoon. Thank you for inviting me to speak at the Surrey Board of Trade. I especially want to thank Anita Huberman for putting together this great event.

I’m here to speak with you about the budget that the Liberal government tabled on Tuesday.

In order to understand the budget and what it means for the future of BC, we have to understand some facts about BC’s economy and the state of the economies we are competing against.

British Columbia has the worst unemployment rate in the west. It isn’t a surprise that unemployment is worse than Alberta, or even newly booming Saskatchewan. But we trail NDP-run Manitoba as well, and by a significant amount.

When comes to income taxes BC is very competitive, but families pay far more than just income taxes. When you include the highest gas taxes in Canada, that are going up another 3 cents this spring in the lower mainland, MSP premiums and other fees and surcharges – the average family in BC pays more in taxes than in any province west of Quebec. That means more than Ontario and more than NDP-run Manitoba.

On top of this is the cost of living in this province. I don’t need to remind you of the various international surveys that have come out in the past few months that show that living in the greater Vancouver area to be one of the most expensive places in the world.

When you combine higher taxes, higher unemployment and higher cost of living than the provinces we compete with the most, you would expect people to leave. And that is exactly what happened in 2011. Last year, more people moved out of BC to other provinces than moved here.   

For me this is an extremely telling measure – people have a choice about where they can afford to live, where they keep more of their money and where they can find a job. And they are not choosing BC.

Dix-onomics? Sounds like the pot calling the kettle black to me

British Columbian taxpayers will continue
to be flattened by rising government debt

Today is budget day for Finance Minister Kevin Falcon, and the BC Liberal government.  Yesterday (February 20, 2012) Bloomberg had the following story, “British Columbia to Beat Deficit Targets, Finance Minister Falcon Says”.   

In this story they stated:

Falcon, who is scheduled to unveil his first budget tomorrow, said that as recently as November he was concerned a deepening of Europe’s sovereign debt crisis would further delay the U.S. recovery, undermining the western Canadian province’s effort to restore fiscal balance.

The government forecast in a November update that it would have a shortfall of C$3.1 billion ($3.12 billion) in the year ending March 31; C$805 million in 2012-2013 and a surplus the following year.

The current fiscal year’s deficit had originally been forecast at C$925 million. That figure widened to cover the cost of reversing a value-added tax that was rejected by voters in a referendum in August.

Debt is debt --- and deficits are deficits.  Simply put, this government continues to spend more money than it takes in. 

“Invest, innovate and grow” -- that’s not happening with the BC Liberals

Small Business week is now underway in British Columbia – and right across Canada.  Small Business Week began in BC over 3 decades ago (1979) and became a national event in 1981.  

I did a Google search to find out more about this year’s event, and found out the theme this time around is; “Invest, innovate and grow” … and that small businesses are encouraged to “attack challenges with renewed decisiveness, market awareness and creativity” and “invest in the new technology your team needs to get the job done.”

Small business has always driven the well-being of the provinces with jobs right in the local community.  While small businesses rely on the economic well-being of the province, country, and exports; having government keeping red-tape to a minimum, and taxes at a level that allow for growth, has always been critical to their success.

In recent years however, government has not been creating a climate so that small business can grow and create jobs to support families and the BC economy.  In fact, government has a poor record in that area, as noted in the media as recently as the past 3 or 4 weeks.

CTV News (Sept 21^st, 2011) … Economists and business leaders say Premier Christy Clark's jobs plan is short on targets and dollars…

Globe and Mail (Sept 21 ^st, 2011 … her new initiatives do not include any promises of immediate work for those who are looking for jobs in B.C. now…

This is pure and unadulterated ‘piffle politics’

“This is pure and unadulterated piffle politics”.  Those words were penned by a friend of mine, Al Siebring, who lives on Vancouver Island … and yes indeed “Piffle Politics” is what we have been subjected to year after year for the past 2 decades.

Piffle Politics is what we have been getting with all 4 throne speeches as well during the 39^th session of the legislature.

Let’s look for example at all the TALK that has been generated around the BC economy beginning with the first speech from the throne of the 39^th parliament which was give on August 25^th, 2009

 

As in the early part of this decade, it is a smart focus on our economy that will lead us back to the successful position that, only a year ago, we took for granted.

... heard clearly from British Columbians that they wanted a stable government that would live within its means, improve and protect vital services and lower costs on the economy so that we could invest in jobs and infrastructure.

The government committed to work to make B.C. more competitive, reduce barriers to the economy and protect core public services.

The benefits will flow through in higher productivity, higher wages and lower costs, increased competitiveness, reduced bureaucracy and red tape, more jobs and a stronger economy in every part of the province.

This administration's commitment to climate action is equally unflagging and crucial to our economy.

That sounds like the government is placing a high importance on the economy, and well they should, right??  I guess that then means that in the 2^nd throne speech, of the 39^th legislative session, given on February 9th, 2010, we should be hearing good news.  Let’s take a look …

Revisiting some recent poll results by Ipsos Reid

Yesterday I brought up a topic of politics and policies being too much the same, and stated that;

“If car companies died because of … boredom, lack of uniqueness, no originality, poor quality … could the same be in line for politics.”

I concluded by saying;

“They (NDP and Liberals) have become so much the same that indeed, many in BC are now able to say there is a lack of uniqueness and originality.  And given the number of MLA’s who have been forced to toe party line, regardless of constituent or personally opinion, there is also an ever increasing thought we are also suffering from ‘poor quality’.”

“My hope is that they will take a stand against boredom … lack of uniqueness … no originality … and poor quality. If the BC Conservative Party continues to bring forward the best common sense of British Columbians, then the BC Liberals and the BC NDP will be relegated to the trash heap of history where old and out-dated ideas eventually end up.”

So that was yesterday in a nutshell.  Today I decided to revisit some recent poll results that were done by Ipsos Reid two months ago.   

A lot was made back then of the fact that the BC Conservative Party was making great strides with increased popularity.  I think however there are several things that are of far greater importance … and if what I wrote yesterday is of any value, a lot of information from that poll needs to remain foremost in the mind of John Cummins.