Is Terry Lake setting up a situation for an ‘honorable retreat’?

Environment Minister Terry Lake

INTERESTING NEWS from the Globe & Mail, in the form of a story entitled, “BC Liberals announce review of province’s carbon tax”.  In part it read:

The Liberals are not announcing a new schedule of increases in the tax beyond the one that ends in 2012.  But Mr. Falcon rejected a reporter’s suggestion on Tuesday that he is laying the groundwork for the demise of the tax.

“I wouldn’t make that leap,” he said at a news conference during the budget lockup.

Instead, he said the government has been proud to lead in addressing climate change through the tax.

“The issue is: four years on is the right time to review where we are at,” he said.

The minister added that he is especially interested in whether the tax is affecting economic competitiveness, especially in the agricultural sector, which faces competition abroad from rivals unburdened by such a tax.

Mr. Falcon said B.C. always expected other provinces and jurisdictions to adopt carbon taxes, leading to an “equalizing effect.”  But he said that has not happened, and B.C. is isolated.

Later in this story they went on to quote George Heyman, who happens to be BC’s Executive Director of the Sierra Club BC, saying that Falcon’s remark were basically a signal of the governments intentions.

“There’s no way to read the minister’s hints except that they’re definitely looking for a way to get out of the carbon tax,” he said.

Now just in case you have forgotten, BC’s Environment Minister is Kamloops North Thompson Liberal MLA Terry Lake. 

That makes it odd that it’s Kevin Falcon talking about, and discussing, what is happening with the Carbon Tax.  It is after all part of the government’s environmental green plan --- and that would make it is something which would be on the radar for an environment minister.

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.

An ad is an ad --- and news is news --- and never the twain should meet

For those who get Kamloops This Week, you may have been wondering about what you saw at the bottom right of page A12 (Thursday February 23, 2012).

Well it's actually an ad for the BC government "BC Jobs Plan", which was confirmed by KTW's News Editor, Christopher Foulds.

One would have been right in wondering however, as this has the layout of a news story ... complete with headline, picture and two column of what appears to be the text of a news story.

Much of what this BC Liberal government has been advertising is blatant promo for the BC Liberals -- this falls into that category.

It is a blatant attempt to make some, giving it a quick glance, think it is a 'good news' story, written by the news department, on what the government is doing.

It is an ad however --- it should be noted as such --- and by not doing so this Liberal government has again shows disrespect to the people of BC.

An ad is an ad --- and news is news --- and never the twain should meet.

I'm Alan Forseth in Kamloops, with the thoughts of one conservative.

 

FOLLOW UP @ 11:23am

And here’s more on this governments arrogance and deceit.  A news headline in the Vancouver Sun today stated “BC Taxpayers are shelling out $15 million dollars to promote BC Liberal Party Jobs Plan election platform.”

The story said that Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation Pat Bell ... ‘did not shy away from the fact the ads will likely cast the government in a positive light.’

"I think the message is pretty clear: We've got a jobs strategy; that's what we're hanging our hats on. We believe strongly that is the position that our party has going forward and we're pre-pared to run on that."

I have to ask … wasn’t the Job’s Plan a program alleged to help the people of BC?  How has it become a taxpayer funded advertising program to promote the re-election of the BC Liberal Party?

This has now become a government that is completely arrogant, and fails to realize that by their very actions they are hurting small middle class families

The other day a friend of mine (Alvin) sent out an email with regards to ICBC, the rate increases we can expect from them, and what the salaries of the top executives are for this government owned corporation.

Sometime later, I received a copy of a response that was sent to Alvin, from someone he knows.

I read and considered it for a while, and then realized that he, like many other British Columbians, are looking for confidence – confidence that what they are considering (a move to the BC Conservative Party) can make BC a better place to live ... to work ... and to raise a family.

I don’t know this person (Brian) --- I’ve never met him.  I decided however to send a reply to him.  I’d like to share that with you, but first however are the words of Alvin’s friend, Brian

Alvin

Thanks for the email, but please tell me where the BC Conservative's will replace the "dividends" the provincial government currently gets, higher personal, corporate, sales tax?

Budget 2012 / 2103. Read what you can, and then you decide if the BC Liberal Party has delivered a budget focused on austerity … and fiscal prudence

Murray Langdon Comment (CFAX 1070):
 “Manageable debt”. I’ve never heard of such a ridiculous phrase

That’s just one of the comments, on yesterday’s budget, that caught my eye.  Media from across the whole spectrum were quick to have stories up and online … as were the politicians.  Here is just a snapshot of what they had to say.

The Tyee:
BC Conservative leader John Cummins released a statement blasting the budget as the kind of thing the NDP would deliver. "The core features of this budget are ballooning debt levels, higher taxes and growing spending masked by accounting tricks," he said.

"The [Premier Christy] Clark Liberals are raising taxes on the most productive part of our economy -- small businesses," he said. "By cancelling the planned reduction of small business taxes, with only a month's notice, they are killing jobs and reducing investment in British Columbia."

He said its "smoke and mirrors" to claim a balanced budget for 2013-2014 while also increasing the debt by $5.1 billion. "Even if the government is calling it a surplus, the government is spending more than it is taking in."

News 1130:

School districts are dealing with overcrowding and the BC government isn't providing a lot of new funding to build schools. A UBC professor says the problem is a lack of communication between municipalities and the province.

"These communities are, in part, created by long-planned policies on a municipal level that need to connect up to how the province, and in particular the Minister of Education, decides to build schools," argues Adjunct Planning Professor Andy Yan.

This is NOT a government friendly to BC families --- this is NOT a government that understands fiscal prudence – this is a government that needs to be sent packing.

BC Finance Minister Kevin Falcon

Finance Minister Kevin Falcon concluded today’s budget speech by stating:

When we were first elected and we got the province back on the road to balanced budgets, there were people who asked us why, and questioned the need to meet — as they saw it — some kind of arbitrary target.

Well, Mr. Speaker, as we look around the world today, we can see that balanced budgets are anything but arbitrary. They are an essential foundation for growth. That’s why our balanced-budget legislation mandates not just a time frame for balancing, but also pay-cuts for ministers for every year the budget is in deficit.

Keeping British Columbia’s fiscal house in order does mean some tough decisions in the short-term. But consider what’s at stake here. It’s our future, Mr. Speaker — the future of this province, and the future of our people.

We have one of the most diverse populations anywhere... with ties to countries and cultures around the world. And while we are all unique individuals, we all want the same basic things for our future.

We want to be able to support ourselves, and take care of our families. We want to know that important public services will be there when we need them. We want strong, secure communities where everyone contributes, and everyone belongs. And we all want to share in the wide-open sense of opportunity that has, for over 150 years, been the hallmark of British Columbia. 

That’s what keeps on bringing people here. That’s what generates confidence, growth and investment. And that’s the kind of future we’re building with this budget — a future of security, growth and opportunity. Thank you for being part of it. Now let’s get to work.

This government has NOT delivered on balanced budgets --- ending rising debt -- getting it's fiscal house in order -- or making it easier for families to care for themselves!

Right now, I have a few things to note for the moment --- and more I am sure will follow.

Any talk of balanced budgets is mathematically impossible when the provincial government’s debt will continue to rise.  Here’s the facts:

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. 

BOB SIMPSON: “These are not hypothetical dollars going to hypothetical projects”

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?

Isn’t that the kind of fiscal prudence we would expect of a government led by the New Democrats?

Saturday on CKNW News, they featured a story entitled “Premier says Tuesday's budget will demonstrate prudence -- Don't expect tax increases or big spending announcements.  Here is the story in full (my italicize and bold):

With the province determined to balance its budget by next year, British Columbians shouldn't expect any big spending announcements in Tuesday's budget.

Premier Christy Clark says the government wants to demonstrate it can manage its spending.

"I'm just not interested in dumping piles of debt on the backs of our children and grandchildren," she says.

She also says it's wrong to go to the public to ask for raises for public sector unions.

"You know, I think that's pretty sensible. I think that most British Columbians, in these very tough fiscal times, understand it's important to be prudent, and I'm going to make a virtue of being prudent."

The finance minister has already said British Columbians should not expect any tax increases.

That all sound fine and well, but what has the BC Liberal government been doing for the past 10+ years?  While they initially had spending under control, for the past five or six years, they have been running bigger and bigger deficits – and steadily increasing the debt.

Here’s just a quick look back at a few of the instances this has been pointed out by the media, and financial watchdogs:

The Tyee (August 2004)

Nobody seems to want to mention the fast growing $38 billion elephant in our living room. Each of us owes $9,003, sharply up under the Liberals.

Canadian Taxpayers (February 2010)

B.C.’s Liberal government was elected on a platform of fiscal responsibility and started off well. Between 2001 and 2004, government spending hovered around $30 billion per year.

The government commendably reduced the debt from almost $38 billion in 2003 to $33.4 billion in 2006. However in 2005, spending restraint started to fly out the window – a result of that dreaded second-term spending disease that seems to infect governments at re-election time.