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.
That害羞草研究所檚 the over-arching message of the final Throne Speech delivered by Premier David Eby害羞草研究所檚 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.害羞草研究所檚 Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin acknowledged that 害羞草研究所渢oo many are still struggling to get ahead害羞草研究所� in acknowledging 害羞草研究所渂ig challenges害羞草研究所� for B.C. and its people.
害羞草研究所淲hile governments can害羞草研究所檛 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,害羞草研究所� Austin said.
These include high interest rates, inflation and new technologies, as well as global tensions and unrest.
害羞草研究所淧arents are struggling to protect their kids from dangers that are now in the palms of their hand,害羞草研究所� Austin said. Today害羞草研究所檚 gig economy also sees working people 害羞草研究所渟truggling to make a good living害羞草研究所� and be treated with fairness, she added.
These laments ultimately lead to one of the central themes of the speech: government害羞草研究所檚 efforts to increase the supply of affordable housing.
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害羞草研究所淭his session, your government will take new actions to help people with costs, while tackling the root causes that are making life so expensive 害羞草研究所� like housing affordability,害羞草研究所� 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.
害羞草研究所淵ou can害羞草研究所檛 just a law have that ends racism害羞草研究所ut there are things we can do to better identify where the challenges are, where there is systemic racism within our communities,害羞草研究所� 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. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 not me that害羞草研究所檚 worried about them,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚 think the public in British Columbia should be worried about them and some of the views that they are bringing to British Columbia,害羞草研究所� 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 害羞草研究所減arallel universe害羞草研究所� where 害羞草研究所渁ctually everything害羞草研究所檚 just great.害羞草研究所�
Turning to housing, Falcon touted his party害羞草研究所檚 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. 害羞草研究所淚 think those are the kind of shifts we need to see,害羞草研究所� 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.
害羞草研究所淲e certainly don害羞草研究所檛 want schools or children studying in schools to be victimized by protests that are disrupting the classroom,害羞草研究所� Falcon said. 害羞草研究所淏ut we will just have to see what they bring forward and if it害羞草研究所檚 sensible, we will support it, if it害羞草研究所檚 problematic, then we will oppose it.害羞草研究所�
BC Green Leader Sonia Furstenau said nothing ties the speech together. 害羞草研究所淭he Throne Speech paints a picture that doesn害羞草研究所檛 match up with the real problems British Columbians are experiencing,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淗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.害羞草研究所�
Furstenau called for what she called a more honest assessment of the situation. 害羞草研究所�(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.害羞草研究所�
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.
害羞草研究所淲hether it害羞草研究所檚 affordability, whether it害羞草研究所檚 housing, whether it害羞草研究所檚 health care, whether it害羞草研究所檚 crime, whether it害羞草研究所檚 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.害羞草研究所�
When asked about the anti-protest legislation, Rustad said protests need to be respectful and can害羞草研究所檛 create disruptions. 害羞草研究所淏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.害羞草研究所�
Global politics also marked Tuesday害羞草研究所檚 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.
