The B.C. NDP government Wednesday evening survived its first vote of confidence after facing criticism from the Conservative Party of B.C. on a range of issues including the economy, health care and public safety.
All 44 New Democratic MLAs, minus Speaker Raj Chouhan, and plus the two B.C. Greens B次元官网网址� Jeremy Valeriote, MLA for West Vancouver-Sea to Sky and Rob Botterell, MLA for Saanich-North and the Islands B次元官网网址� voted against the Conservative motion. All 44 Conservative MLAs voted for the motion, which Leader John Rustad had attached to debate on the Speech from the Throne.
Rustad, MLA for Nechako-Lakes, said earlier that he had promised to test the government's confidence in the legislature at the earliest opportunity.
"Our province has never been more vulnerable," Rustad said. "Our budget is completely out of hand, with a massive deficit, record deficits, with debt, with the amount of money that's being put out just to pay for interest. Our affordability has never been worse in this province. Housing has never been worse in this province. Our economy is struggling. Our resource sector is completely being hammered. People have lost confidence in being able to invest in this province."
Rustad had lamented the state of healthcare. "Health care is complete shambles. Closures is the name of the day everywhere around this province. Having to wait 18 hours in a city like Surrey for emergency rooms is absolutely unacceptable."
Conservative Whip Bruce Banman, MLA for Abbotsford-South, used his speaking time to decry state of public safety and urged New Democrats to take the Conservatives' proposals seriously.
"I have faith in the citizens of this province," Banman said. "Sadly after eight long years, I'm not so sure I have that much faith that anything is going to change, especially based on the hollow words that yet once again were in this throne speech by this government. It's hollow. It's disingenuous. They need to actually work with this side of the House so that we can put this province back on the economic map and make it the greatest province in Canada to live in again, because it sure as heck is unaffordable right now."
New Democrats, naturally, disagreed. "Every day in my community, I see the impact of the work that our government has done over the last two mandates in supporting people and families," B.C.'s Labour Minister Jennifer Whiteside said, pointing to improvements such as rising minimum wages and improved labour standards. She also pointed to government plans to speed up 18 major resource projects said to be valued at $20 billion.
"These projects, spanning critical sectors such as natural gas, clean energy and mining, are not only about economic growth," Whiteside said. "They will create good, family-supporting jobs. TheyB次元官网网址檙e also about ensuring that our province's prosperity is sustainable and equitable. It is particularly encouraging to see that 12 of these projects are majority-owned by First Nations, reflecting a true spirit of reconciliation and partnership."
Government is also taking steps to diversify trade in responding to pending tariffs. "However, the challenges that we face are not solely economic in nature," Whiteside said. "We have to confront the very real threats to our sovereignty, to our way of life, and this commitment in the throne speech speaks to this issue with the utmost clarity. British Columbia will not be intimidated."
B.C.'s Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon, who also oversees government's response to the pending tariffs, returned to this theme in a statement issued after the vote.
B次元官网网址淢oments ago, John Rustad and the B.C. Conservatives put forward a motion to try to bring down the government and trigger a general election that British Columbians donB次元官网网址檛 want," he said. B次元官网网址淚n a week when British Columbians expected their elected leaders to be united and focused on that threat, B.C. Conservative MLAs have voted to bring down the government and to defend Donald Trump," he added.
He added that his government will remain "laser-focused" on defending people from Donald TrumpB次元官网网址檚 unjustified tariffs and will keep taking action on the priorities of British Columbians.
