Tuesday, February 12, 2019 ~ VICTORIA.
~ by Mary P Brooke, West Shore Voice News
This afternoon at the tail end of a five-day snow-event on south Vancouver Island, the BC Legislature convened its 4th session of the 41st parliament.
At 2 pm, the livestreamed Throne Speech delivered by Lt Gov Janet Austin offered little to no new material about how the BC government will steer its ship this year, other than to continue pushing for affordability for British Columbians (ferry fares, housing, education, etc) and cleaning up the messes of the previous government (including ICBC).
There was no mention of how the NDP government has been strengthened by the Nanaimo by-election win that produced one more NDP MLA, but the confidence of Premier John Horgan and his key colleagues was palpable. Through today’s speech, the NDP gave the vibe of having finally arrived at the dominant legislative position that they sought in the 2017 provincial election.
There was no mention of transportation networks in particular, either for the Lower Mainland or the Greater Victoria area, even though a major regional transportation strategy ‘with funding attached’ was announced by Transportation Minister Claire Trevena last month and later challenged by the 13 mayors of municipalities of the south island.
Austin mentioned the need for women’s equity. In her first year she has frequently commented on not always being recognized as the Lt Gov in the company of men. At today’s Throne Speech she wore a fuschia-coloured jacket and scarf and was flanked by two female officers.
Here are a few key components of Austin’s speech, which is essentially a statement of the government.
Child care was featured as being supportive to families and the economy. “This year, government will set the foundation for the full implementation of B.C.’s affordable child care program.”
“CleanBC is this government’s roadmap to reduce emissions and create an innovative, low-carbon economy. Created in partnership with the BC Green Party Caucus, the CleanBC plan will change how British Columbians get around, with a focus on clean-energy vehicles, lower emissions, cleaner fuels and active transportation. By moving to clean, renewable energy – like our abundant supply of hydroelectricity – we will power our growing economy. CleanBC will improve where we live and work, through building retrofits and new net-zero energy standards for new buildings. It will promote industrial electrification and carbon capture and invite new and existing industries to deliver cleaner operations. Most importantly, it will create jobs and opportunity for people, businesses and communities. Climate change is the greatest challenge of our time. We can and must reduce our emissions, but government can’t do it alone. First Nations governments, communities and businesses are all partners on the path forward. Your government will bring forward measures for the implementation of CleanBC in Budget 2019.
LNG came up, along the lines of doing environment and economy at the same time and more action this spring. “Enabled by government’s new financial framework, LNG Canada’s liquefied natural gas project will create 10,000 construction jobs and 950 permanent jobs for B.C. The project will generate $23 billion in government revenue that will be reinvested in the schools, roads, hospitals, housing and services that families depend on. This project can proceed because government’s four conditions were met: a fair rate of return for our natural resources; job opportunities and training for people in B.C.; meaningful partnerships with First Nations; and, critically, the project fits within government’s CleanBC plan. This spring, your government will bring forward measures to bring this historic project to fruition.”
Protecting salmon. “The Premier’s Wild Salmon Advisory Council was convened last year, bringing together experts from around the province to develop a strategy for restoring and sustaining B.C.’s salmon populations.” That’s it. No specific promises.
Food Security. “Agriculture is an important part of B.C.’s economy. Government is working to protect farmland and developing new markets for B.C. agricultural products. To maximize the benefits of B.C.’s rich agricultural land, your government will launch a food security task force to consider how B.C. can harness new technologies and innovation to produce more food, jobs and prosperity, while reducing waste.”
Boosts for Museums. “The tourism sector supports over 133,000 jobs in British Columbia. Government is working to attract visitors from around the world, while supporting the arts, sport and cultural projects. Government will modernize the Royal BC Museum, to protect its historic holdings and provide better access to its collections. Government will also establish a new Chinese Canadian Museum, to honour the community’s significant contributions to our province.
Connectivity. “Our government is helping connect people in rural or remote communities through high-speed internet. People in 190 rural and remote communities, including 69 Indigenous communities, will soon have more bandwidth to run their business, access public services and connect to the world.”
Community Benefit Agreements “… for major infrastructure projects. These agreements make sure that public investments create public benefits and strengthen local economies.
Ride Hailing. “This year, ride hailing will enter the market, giving passengers options and flexibility, while making sure people are safe.”
Transparency. Regarding the recent spending scandal revealed at the legislature just before 218 year-end, the Lt Gov said that people’s trust in the legislative institution “was recently shaken”. She added: “This government values transparency and takes very seriously its responsibility to maintain the integrity of our public institutions. Your government will work with this Assembly to implement reforms that restore trust in this core institution, so that our democracy is stronger going forward.”
The full February 12, 2019 Throne Speech is available online.