The provincial government is promising to have the backs of British Columbians as costs and inflation hit pocketbooks more than ever, posing affordability challenges in the year ahead.
ThatB次元官网网址檚 the over-arching message of the final Throne Speech delivered by Premier David EbyB次元官网网址檚 government before the provincial election in the fall. The speech comes two days before the 2024-25 provincial budget is released.
On Tuesday (Feb. 20), B.C.B次元官网网址檚 Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin acknowledged that B次元官网网址渢oo many are still struggling to get aheadB次元官网网址� in acknowledging B次元官网网址渂ig challengesB次元官网网址� for B.C. and its people.
B次元官网网址淲hile governments canB次元官网网址檛 solve every problem or fix things overnight, your government makes a simple commitment to you: we will have your back, so you are not facing these new challenges alone,B次元官网网址� Austin said.
These include high interest rates, inflation and new technologies, as well as global tensions and unrest.
B次元官网网址淧arents are struggling to protect their kids from dangers that are now in the palms of their hand,B次元官网网址� Austin said. TodayB次元官网网址檚 gig economy also sees working people B次元官网网址渟truggling to make a good livingB次元官网网址� and be treated with fairness, she added.
These laments ultimately lead to one of the central themes of the speech: governmentB次元官网网址檚 efforts to increase the supply of affordable housing.
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B次元官网网址淭his session, your government will take new actions to help people with costs, while tackling the root causes that are making life so expensive B次元官网网址� like housing affordability,B次元官网网址� it reads.
Specific housing promises include measures to protect renters from bad-faith evictions and more help for first time homebuyers.
The speech also promises improvements in health care, mental health and fighting climate change. Last week, Eby said that his government would table 20 pieces of legislation during a shortened spring session of the provincial legislature.
Specific promises include an anti-racism law, legislation protecting schools and kids from what disruptive protests (like the ones opposing SOGI-123, without mentioning them by name) as well as laws holding social media companies accountable.
The speech also sets out to remind the public what government has accomplished in touting its recent run of housing-related legislation, as well as other measures considered accomplishments.
House Leader Ravi Kahlon rejected suggestions that the speech was light on specifics, pointing to the promised legislation to the anti-racism law and promised legislation to ban protests around schools.
B次元官网网址淵ou canB次元官网网址檛 just a law have that ends racismB次元官网网址ut there are things we can do to better identify where the challenges are, where there is systemic racism within our communities,B次元官网网址� Kahlon said.
When asked whether the anti-protest legislation was aimed at the Conservative Party of BC, Kahlon used the occasion to accuse the party of bringing the politics of Donald Trump to B.C. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not me thatB次元官网网址檚 worried about them,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 think the public in British Columbia should be worried about them and some of the views that they are bringing to British Columbia,B次元官网网址� he said
Kahlon also reiterated an earlier promise government would introduce additional housing legislation.
BC United Leader Kevin Falcon acknowledged that throne speeches often lack specifics, but accused New Democrats of living in a B次元官网网址減arallel universeB次元官网网址� where B次元官网网址渁ctually everythingB次元官网网址檚 just great.B次元官网网址�
Turning to housing, Falcon touted his partyB次元官网网址檚 recently announced four housing policies. They include a rent-to-own program measures to cut the PST on residential construction, eliminate the property transfer tax for first time-buyers for purchases up to $1 million. B次元官网网址淚 think those are the kind of shifts we need to see,B次元官网网址� he said.
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When asked about the anti-protest legislation, Falcon said it depends on what the NDP plans to bring forward.
B次元官网网址淲e certainly donB次元官网网址檛 want schools or children studying in schools to be victimized by protests that are disrupting the classroom,B次元官网网址� Falcon said. B次元官网网址淏ut we will just have to see what they bring forward and if itB次元官网网址檚 sensible, we will support it, if itB次元官网网址檚 problematic, then we will oppose it.B次元官网网址�
BC Green Leader Sonia Furstenau said nothing ties the speech together. B次元官网网址淭he Throne Speech paints a picture that doesnB次元官网网址檛 match up with the real problems British Columbians are experiencing,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淗ealthcare remains inaccessible for too many, schools are overcrowded and lack resources, homes are too costly and the gap between the rich and the poor keeps getting wider.B次元官网网址�
Furstenau called for what she called a more honest assessment of the situation. B次元官网网址�(Inequality) is widening and deepening, services are lacking and the uncertainty that climate change brings is making it hard for us to imagine the future we want for our children.B次元官网网址�
Like Falcon, Conservative Party of BC Leader John Rustad dismissed the speech for its lack of specifics, but framed it as another step toward authoritarianism and the outcome of 32 years of alternating governments by the NDP and BC United, formerly known as BC Liberals.
B次元官网网址淲hether itB次元官网网址檚 affordability, whether itB次元官网网址檚 housing, whether itB次元官网网址檚 health care, whether itB次元官网网址檚 crime, whether itB次元官网网址檚 the addiction problem, the crisis that we are seeing in the forest sector, all of these things have come from successive governments and successive policies. What I saw in the throne speech was more of the same.B次元官网网址�
When asked about the anti-protest legislation, Rustad said protests need to be respectful and canB次元官网网址檛 create disruptions. B次元官网网址淏ut at the same time, I just wonder why we are at the point where the B.C. government would look at that as being an issue.B次元官网网址�
Global politics also marked TuesdayB次元官网网址檚 speech. A group of pro-Palestinians protester some 50 members strong marched around the legislature as Austin delivered the speech, calling on the provincial government to take several, mainly actions in support of Palestinians.
Their presence prevented Austin of entering the legislature through its main gates, giving the speech a less ceremonial tone.
