“Immediately after a provincial budget that offered nothing for the B.C. economy , and nothing for rural BC, beyond a new, damaging consumer tax in the HST, B.C. Hydro is applying to charge you an extra nine per cent this year on your hydro bill, with huge hits to come over the next two years,” said Coons. “BC Hydro has applied for the increase with the B.C. Utilities Commission with full approval from Gordon Campbell!

“The government is trying to claim the increase is to pay for infrastructure upgrades, but that is only part of the story. The fact is, the B.C. Liberals are sneaking in what amounts to a tax increase by demanding that B.C. Hydro pay the government an extra $254 million this year, and B.C. Hydro has no choice but to pass on that increased cost to British Columbians. If you thought your hydro bills were high now wait till this government wallops you with their 29% increase.”

The provincial government’s three year fiscal plan, laid out in yesterday’s budget, calls for B.C. Hydro to increase electricity rates by 9.11 per cent this year, 12.92 per cent in 2011, and 4.81 per cent in 2012, which, compounded, amounts to a 29 per cent hike.

Coons noted that even though the rate increases have not yet been approved by the BCUC, the revenue assumptions in the B.C. Liberals’ budget include the 29 per cent rate hike.

“In the same breath of hiking your hydro rates , the BC Liberals are also looting the Insurance Corporation of B.C. to pad provincial coffers when it could have been cutting auto insurance rates,” says Coons.

“Gordon Campbell will take $778 million from ICBC reserve funds over the next three years to pad a “shister” budget that is just a shell game,” says Coons. “The only conclusion a reasonable person can draw is that the finance minister is using this to patch some of the holes in his dismal budget that that was just presented.”

The three quarters of a billion dollars could have been returned to British Columbians to reduce auto insurance premiums for drivers but the finance minister choose to tell motorists in British Columbia to take a hike instead of allowing the (ICBC) board the option of giving further rebates. These latest manipulations highlight how out of touch this government really is.

“While British Columbians continue to wait for the B.C. Liberals to live up to their promise of acting on the independent review, residents up and down the coast are going to get hit again and again with steep ferry fare increases,” said New Democrat ferries critic Gary Coons.

“Last week the Ferry Commissioner gave B.C. Ferries the go-ahead to raise fares, and they didn’t hesitate. Just one week later, B.C. Ferries announced they will raise fares on routes by as much as seven per cent.”

Coons said cities, towns and First Nations communities have already been been devastated by skyrocketing fares since the B.C. Liberals privatized our ferries in 2003.

“Businesses that rely on ferries have also been hurt,” said Coons. “The trucking industry has said that fare increases could result in job losses, and many small tourism businesses are also feeling the pinch as visiting ferry-dependent communities becomes increasingly expensive.”

When the B.C. Liberals announced a review of B.C. Ferries in July, Finance Minister Colin Hansen said, “we must ensure that services provided to ratepayers are done so in a way that is financially sustainable and provides maximum value for all British Columbians.”

“Fares have already shot up by 40 per cent on major routes and 60 per cent on minor routes since 2003,” said Coons. “The B.C. Liberals need to act on the findings of the comptroller’s report, and quit stalling.”

Coons pointed out that ridership has already dropped as a result of steep fare increases and said the downward spiral will likely continue.

“The release of the review showed a glimpse of how the ferries are run, and it raised some alarming financial questions,” said Coons. “The public learned, for example, that the CEO takes well over a million dollars per year while coastal residents are stretched thin to make important ferry trips for groceries, to get to school and for doctor’s appointments.

“It’s the first time the public has been allowed to even get a glimpse since the B.C. Liberals excluded B.C. Ferries from the Freedom of Information Act.”

Coons also said that the B.C. Liberals’ HST, which they had promised not to bring in during last spring’s election, will compound problems at B.C. Ferries once it is implemented this summer.

“Expenses for items such as safety equipment will increase for the corporation, and those increases will likely be reflected in future fare increases,” said Coons. “Customers will also pay seven per cent more for food on ferries.”

Carole James and New Democrats will continue to hold the B.C. Liberals to account for skyrocketing fares and will fight for British Columbians when the government brings forward HST legislation in March.

The cost of travel has soared since the government made B.C. Ferries a hybrid public-private company in 2003. These increases mean the cost of getting to the Island has jumped more than 40 per cent; the cost of travel to Gulf Islands has increased more than 60 per cent.

Those increases have hurt travellers.

And they have damaged the region’s economy, particularly the tourism sector. B.C. Ferries’ own analysis found an eight per cent fare increase would result in a 2.3 per cent drop in traffic. Some of the lost business comes from local people who reduce trips. But tourists are also deterred by rising fares. And Islanders pay more for all the goods shipped here by ferry as a result of rising fares.

The risk of increasing damage is serious. The government provides a small subsidy to the service, compared with support for other public transit.

The subsidy covered 22 per cent of corporation expenses in 2003; it has shrunk to 16 per cent since then. The legislation requires the corporation to collect the rest of the money from users.

The result is a vicious circle. Fares increase to cover costs; traffic declines as a result; and fares must be raised even higher to make up for the reduced passenger revenue.

This is not the fault of B.C. Ferries; the provincial government set the rules in place.

Ferry commissioner Martin Crilly, responsible for ensuring fare increases are justified, has warned the failure to meet ridership targets is creating serious long-term problems.

The government has been slow to respond, despite complaints from communities.

Transportation Minister Shirley Bond says some action is likely this spring on a November report from the province’s comptroller general that found sloppy governance and excessive compensation for directors and managers.

Those are not the most important issues, however.

Comptroller Cheryl Wenezenki-Yolland also found a fundamental flaw in the legislation setting up the new corporation. There is no requirement, or even provision, for the interests of ferry customers and local communities to be considered in setting rates or B.C. Ferries’ direction.

The focus on the profitability of the ferry operator “could be at the expense of the public service goals of the ferry system by not considering fully the interests of users of the ferry system, local communities and taxpayers,” she found. There is no independent complaint process, no public review of service levels and no consideration of the long-term impact of service and fares on communities.

And the result has been problems for ferry users, communities and businesses.

The damage is becoming increasingly serious. Government action to ensure the public interest is considered in providing ferry service is overdue.

Editorial

Times Colonist

February 18, 2010

An independent review of B.C. Ferries was released last fall by comptroller general Cheryl Wenezenki-Yolland, who made more than 20 recommendations on how the corporation could improve planning, governance, opportunities for efficiencies and funding. She also criticized executives for excessive financial compensation.

Coons said the Liberals’ failure to react is costing coastal communities.

“Cities, towns and First Nations communities up and down the coast have been devastated by skyrocketing fares since the B.C. Liberals privatized our ferries in 2003,” he said. “Meanwhile, fares are set to climb even higher and the B.C. Liberals have done nothing since the province’s comptroller released an audit of the semi-private corporation last fall.”

Major routes are expected to see a three per cent rate increase while minor routes will see nearly a six per cent jump in April.

Transportation minister Shirley Bond said she is still considering the report and its recommendations.

“We are currently reviewing the comptroller general’s recommendations from her comprehensive review of B.C. Ferries and Translink,” said Bond in a written statement to the News Bulletin.

“B.C. Ferries is extremely well run, but our goal is to make it as transparent and accountable as possible. If necessary, we will consider changes to the legislation governing B.C. Ferries.”

The province’s throne speech earlier this monthl hinted that changes to the Coastal Ferries Act were coming.

According to Coons, fares have increased 40 per cent on major routes and 60 per cent on minor routes since 2003.

“If the B.C. Liberals want to keep their promise to make fares sustainable, they need to act on the findings of the comptroller’s report,” said Coons. “So far we’ve seen nothing from the government, which means business as usual – higher fares and zero accountability.”

Coons added that the trend of higher fares resulting in lower ridership will likely continue and that a seven-per cent increase in food prices on ferries will also deter customers.

Some of the recommendations made by Wenezenki-Yolland include:

• B.C. Ferry Authority board members should not sit on the B.C. Ferry Services board of directors;
• The authority should exercise shareholder powers, including appointment and renewal of board members using competency-based criteria;
• Increase responsibilities of the B.C. Ferry Commission to protect the interests of ratepayers and customers;
• Make the corporation and B.C. Ferry Authority subject to Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

In 2008, Coons introduced a member’s bill called the Fair Ferries Act, which asked for similar changes.

By Toby Gorman

Nanaimo News Bulletin

Published: February 17, 2010 3:00 PM

Ferry commissioner Martin Crilly approved an increase in price caps for both major and minor B.C. Ferries routes on Friday.

B.C. Ferries is now crunching the numbers and is expected to announce the dollar amount of the increases near the end of this week.

The price-cap hike is 2.68 per cent for three major routes: Swartz Bay-Tsawwassen, Horseshoe Bay-Nanaimo and Tsawwassen-Nanaimo.

A price-cap average increase of 5.68 per cent has been set for all other routes, including the system’s 18 minor routes, three northern runs and the Horseshoe Bay-Langdale route.

B.C. Ferries expects to pin fares close to the top of the price cap, said spokeswoman Deborah Marshall.

Still, a five per cent price increase on the majority of minor routes — Swartz Bay to Fulford Harbour on Saltspring Island, for example – will translate to a hike of only about 45 cents, said Marshall.

Ticket prices on minor routes already include a fuel rebate of about five per cent and there’s a two per cent fuel rebate on the Horseshoe Bay- Langdale route.

New Democratic Party ferry critic Gary Coons warns the fare increases will mean a drop in ridership and less revenue for tourist-dependent businesses.

“It’s going to be devastation again to coastal communities and those on Vancouver Island,” Coons said, in a phone interview. “Along with the carbon tax and possible HST next July, [the fare increase] will be the nail in the coffin for many businesses and tourism-dependent entities.”

Fares have risen by 40 per cent on major routes and 60 per cent on minor routes since 2003, when B.C. Ferries was changed to operate like a private business, Coons said.

Studies show as fares go up 10 per cent, ridership drops about seven per cent and that trend will continue, Coons said.

Marshall doesn’t expect the nominal increase will drive down ridership or have an impact upon tourism, however.

He argues that soaring gas prices affect ferry traffic much more than fare increases.

“While I appreciate no one likes to pay more for goods or services, with increasing costs we have to have tariff adjustments from time to time,” Marshall said.

The fares for northern ferry routes were increased early, in September 2009, and will stay in place for 18 months, until April 1, 2011.The annual increases are set by the B.C. Ferry Commission.

By Cindy E. Harnett

Times Colonist

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

“Cities, towns and First Nations communities up and down the coast have been devastated by skyrocketing fares since the B.C. Liberals privatized our ferries in 2003,” said New Democrat ferries critic Gary Coons. “Meanwhile, fares are set to climb even higher and the B.C. Liberals have done nothing since the province’s comptroller released an audit of the semi-private corporation last fall.”

Coons was responding to news this week that the commission that regulates fares has allowed for a nearly three per cent increase on major routes and close to six per cent on minor routes. Fares have already gone up by 40 per cent on major routes and 60 per cent on minor routes since 2003.

When the B.C. Liberals announced a review of B.C. Ferries in July, Finance Minister Colin Hansen said, “we must ensure that services provided to ratepayers are done so in a way that is financially sustainable and provides maximum value for all British Columbians.”

“If the B.C. Liberals want to keep their promise to make fares sustainable, they need to act on the findings of the Comptroller’s report,” said Coons. “So far we’ve seen nothing from the government, which means business as usual – higher fares and zero accountability.

“Ridership has already dropped as fares have increased. That trend will likely continue.”

Coons said the public has no idea what is happening at B.C. Ferries since the B.C. Liberals hid it from view and excluded it from the Freedom of Information Act.

“Making matters worse, B.C. Ferries expenses for items such as safety equipment will increase with the HST,” said Coons. “And customers will be paying seven per cent more for food on the Ferries. It’s just one more way that British Columbians will pay for the B.C. Liberals’ HST betrayal.”

Carole James and New Democrats will continue to hold the B.C. Liberals to account for skyrocketing fares and will fight for British Columbians when the government brings forward HST legislation in March.

–30–

The commissioner approved a 2.68 percent increase on the three major routes between Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland and a 5.68 percent jump on all other routes.

“This will result in adjustments to passenger and vehicle fares effective April 1, 2010, with the dollar amounts to be published by B.C. Ferries in due course,” the commissioner’s announcement said.

In two cases B.C. Ferries fares are now below the amount they are allowed to charge, meaning the northern routes may see an additional hike of 4.2 percent and the Horseshoe Bay to Langdale route may go up by a further 3.4 percent.

“These increases in fares will definitely result in less ridership and more difficulty for [B.C. Ferries],” said New Democratic Party ferry critic Gary Coons. “It’s a vicious circle that the [Coastal Ferry Act] has created.”

The increase will hurt many businesses and other organizations that depend on tourism, he said.

The B.C. Government is reviewing the legislation that governs the ferries and the fares should be kept stable until that process is complete, he said. “Many British Columbians feel strongly that Victoria’s experiment in trying to make B.C. Ferries run like a profitable company rather than operate efficiently as an integral part of the highways system has failed miserably.”

The commission has posted the reasons for Crilly’s decision along with a chart showing that since 2003 fares have risen by 40 percent on the major routes and 60 percent on the minor routes on its website.

By Andrew MacLeod

The Tyee

February 15, 2010 04:48 pm

“Despite forty years of aboriginal women going missing or being found murdered along provincial highways, B.C. Liberal Minister George Abbott still insists it is not the time for an inquiry,” said Bob Simpson, New Democrat critic for Aboriginal Relations.

During Question Period on Thursday at the legislature, Simpson and other members of the Official opposition repeatedly asked the B.C. Liberal government to commit to a public inquiry.  Earlier in the day, First Nations leaders gathered on the steps of the legislature to underscore the importance of an inquiry.

“B.C.’s First Nations are unified and unequivocal that a public inquiry is critical to helping prevent more deaths and disappearances. If the B.C. Liberals are serious about a new relationship of recognition and reconciliation, they should be working with aboriginal communities and First Nations leaders on calling an inquiry to determine why women and children continue to go missing,” said Simpson.

“Unfortunately, the Minister and his B.C. Liberal colleagues are refusing to call a public inquiry.”

When Simpson asked the Aboriginal Affairs Minister to advocate for a public inquiry at the cabinet table, Abbott dismissed the request, saying that police investigations into individual cases would be sufficient.

“It appears that Minister Abbott will not listen to the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, the Assembly of First Nations, or advocates for native women, who are all saying that an inquiry is needed to help determine why so many aboriginal women have been, and continue to be, murdered in this province,” said Gary Coons, MLA for North Coast.

“If we are going to take steps to address and prevent violence, we need to get answers to these difficult questions,” emphasized Coons.

I want to acknowledge all the help, the support, the enthusiasm, the energy and the support of all the volunteers that are participating. Throughout the chamber we’ve heard the excitement and the thrill of the relay torch going through communities.

It was in Prince Rupert on February 1, with three local torchbearers: Bob Thompson, a respected city employee that was just retiring; a good friend of mine, Justin Barton, who is a dancer with Gitmaxmak’ay Nisga’a Dancers; and a longtime volunteer, Charlotte Rowse, who lit the flame. It was quite an exciting event.

Again, it comes down to…. When I hear people in this room talk about the torch and the torch relay and the excitement in people’s communities, I understand that. I want to jump on the bandwagon. But it’s pretty awkward when you aren’t even invited to the big show. In my riding VANOC indicated that no invitation was given to the local federal representative or the local provincial representative. VANOC basically said: “We kindly asked our government partners to assist us with the selection of one federal and one provincial representative to speak on stage at each celebration.”

I was pleased to see Richard Neufeld, the ex-MLA from here and an ex-cabinet minister, and the member for Westside-Kelowna there on the stage representing the province in my riding of Prince Rupert.

I’m sure that many of us on this side of the House would have loved the opportunity to participate, along with other members in the House, with the torch relay. But again, a supposedly apolitical event in some situations wasn’t.

On that, if we look back at the throne speech, it’s very disappointing — a lot of lip service, a rehashing of old ideas, nothing tangible for British Columbians who really needed direction, really needed opportunities as far as economic and social disparities throughout the province.

One section of the throne speech that caught my attention was: “This session will feature additional measures to restore our economy and to create jobs in every sector.”

Many members on the other side have gone through the riding of North Coast. I just want to give a few statistics about Prince Rupert and the regional district. The regional district that I represent had the highest percentage, 32.5 percent, of lone-parent families in the province with children at home when last measured.

Our regional district was the worst region in the province for percentage of population ages 19 to 64 who are employable receiving income assistance — five times higher than the provincial average. The regional district has 2½ times as many EI beneficiaries per capita as the provincial average.

The regional district’s rate of spousal abuse is 5.6 percent — two times the provincial rate. Teen pregnancy, 2.5 times higher than the provincial rate. One of the regional districts that I represent, besides the Central Coast regional district, has the worst region in the province for the percentage of children receiving income assistance for more than a year, as far as 2006.

The child abuse rate is 30.5 percent, which is 3½ times higher than the provincial rate of 8.7 percent. Three out of every ten children in that regional district are victims of reported abuse.

When we look at statistics and we look at the needs and at what needs to happen throughout the province, this was a very disappointing throne speech. We’re looking forward to the budget. Hopefully, when we look at the inequities and the concerns and disparities throughout the province, that will be alleviated when the budget comes down.

You know, recently the NDI, the Northern Development Initiative Trust, did a presentation for the rural caucus of the opposition and for, I believe, the northern caucus of the government. One of the key facts that they put out…. They looked at the region, the north coast region. The north coast region represents from Haida Gwaii right out to Nechako. So it’s not a real sense of the reality that’s happening in the northwest and, specifically, my riding of North Coast.

They looked at and reiterated that the population decline on the north coast, and that’s out to Nechako…. For ten years in a row there’s a population decline.

Building permits. The largest decline of any development region in B.C. No major project construction has existed in the last seven or eight years.

The unemployment rate in 2008 was the highest in B.C. at 7.7 percent, versus the provincial rate of 4.4 percent, and in October 2009 it was up to 10 percent. In the northwest region, increases in unemployment, in jobs, from 2008-2009 is in the 50 percent range.

The NDI had some specific recommendations that, as I mentioned before, we hope to see in the forthcoming budget. But when we look at the throne speech that we just had, there is no mention of rural B.C. There’s no mention of the Asia-Pacific gateway authority that the government announced last August it was pursuing with the federal government. The stated purpose of the authority was to redouble its efforts to open up the critical northern corridor. I guess that the government can attest to, “Yes, we have redoubled it,” because, you know, when you redouble nothing, you still get nothing.

What the NDI, the Northern Development Initiative Trust, presented to northern MLAs for both government and opposition…. They were echoing that the northwest is suffering the worst economic decline of any region in B.C., although it is a wealth of underdeveloped forest, mineral and coastal resources.

They put forward quite a few suggestions for the MLAs to look at and consider and hopefully put forward with their caucuses. I picked out five key initiatives that were presented by the NDI for the north coast. They were looking at regional investment attraction, that across the northwest we need to attract value-added manufacturing to the region, with focus on sectors that will diversify the economy, whether it’s forestry, bioenergy, mining.

A key one that’s left off and left out of the throne speech is fisheries — not even mentioned. Again, when we look at the investment that we need in this province, we have to, and as a province we must, consider the value and the importance of fisheries.

In Prince Rupert there’s the Sustainable Marine Fisheries and Communities Alliance that has been going on for the last four or five months. It’s a collection of about 15 first nations governments, their fishery committees, hereditary chiefs, chief councillors, mayors and councillors from the regional districts and other municipalities, and two representatives from North Coast–Skeena First Nations Stewardship Society, the Northern Native Fishing Corporation, the Native Brotherhood and the UFAWU putting together a vision and some initiatives to bring the communities together on this central and north coast to ensure a sustainable marine commercial fishery. This is what we need to do.

This government, again, time after time after time, ignores the importance of the fisheries in this province. The alliance is going to put some of the responsibilities for the fisheries on to the first nations and the commercial fishermen, and work with fishermen inland and the sports fisheries.

The direction laid out by the alliance, and the vision they have, is this sustainable integrated fishery. But nothing about the fisheries. When we look at the last couple years with the Sustainable Aquaculture Committee, some of the recommendations, closed containment…. This is a prime opportunity to look at regional investment attraction into closed-containment systems. Aquaculture is here. It’s here to stay. It has to be done in a different manner, and closed containment is the only way to go.

The alliance is also looking at community hatcheries, based on the ocean ranching in Alaska, which brings in billions of dollars — a co-op model that will benefit the fishermen, benefit communities and work towards a sustainable fishery.

Some of the other initiatives brought forward by the mayors that presented this…. The reason that I’m bringing this up is that there were four mayors there — the mayor of Prince Rupert and the mayor of Terrace, the mayor of Kitimat and the mayor of Port Clements — who presented their initiatives and concerns about what’s going on in the northwest.

The Haida Gwaii community forest. We know that through the land use plan there’s got to be some allotment for the people that need the wood resources on Haida Gwaii. There has to be strategic land use agreement implementation, and there needs to be some finances to make resources and funding available over the two years to support revitalization and development of the forest sector in Haida Gwaii.

The mayors talked about the Prince Rupert Tsimshian access project, the phase 1 of connecting Prince Rupert to Metlakatla with a connecting road to Port Simpson, and the importance of that. That connection would be critical infrastructure for the area.

Back to green energy initiatives, and a push for the north to develop those. Again, in the northwest is what we’re talking about.

We look at the throne speech, and there is no mention of the Premier’s EI reform plans that he had been peddling around with the Premiers on behalf of the Harper government. I find it interesting that we did have the Prime Minister here today.

In Prince Rupert I attended a rally about proroguing the government, and I spoke at that about the concerns of what was left on the table. One of the concerns, and one of the issues left on the table, was the EI reform that is so desperately needed. I’m sure that the Prime Minister and the Premier, when they’re out and about, will hear the concerns from British Columbia about the HST. You know, 90 percent of British Columbians disagree with the implementation of this regressive tax.

Now, what isn’t in this throne speech? Not a word about open government. Nothing about transparency, despite the vow of the Premier to be the most open and transparent government there ever was. What have we seen over the years? Well, the B.C. Rail scandal, the Olympic secrecy, B.C. Ferries lack of accountability and the comptroller general’s scathing report about that. FOI requests — well, you can request, but it’s going to cost you thousands of dollars.

No mention of the Premier’s literacy initiatives or even the word “literacy.” Nothing about homelessness or his own task force on homelessness. No mention about accountability or transparency, except for B.C. Ferries. In the throne speech it said: “New accountability and transparency will be brought to B.C. Ferries as it continues improving services with new ferries, terminals and amenities.” Well, you know, it’s a follow-up. I’m sure the minister is working on that as we speak. The comptroller general found that the corporation has lost accountability, that costs have increased and that executive pay has skyrocketed.

To recap some of the findings in the comptroller general’s report, you have this B.C. Ferries hierarchy with an overpaid CEO, a bloated remunerated board, and lots of generous bonuses that are easily earned. You have the B.C. Ferry Authority, with one shareholder acting on behalf of British Columbians, whose boards only seem to have one role, and that’s where they vote themselves outrageous raises.

The ferries commissioner does a good job for what he’s legislated to do. He looks after the financial security at B.C. Ferries but ignores the public interest. That was pointed out in the comptroller general’s report.

You have the Coastal Ferry Act, which along with the commissioner has been structured with no mandate to protect the public interest nor the people who depend on the ferry system.

There’s insufficient transparency in accounting. There are unverified figures supplied to B.C. Ferries, says the comptroller general. Then there’s the outlandish alternate service provider component of the Coastal Ferry Act, where B.C. Ferries is supposed to go out and find alternate service providers. It’s costing millions of dollars, and that’s got to come out of the legislation.

There’s nothing in there to protect the public service mandate of the ferry system.

Freedom of information has been a concern for many in British Columbia. We’ve called on it for five years: give B.C. Ferries proper accounting. Hopefully that will be some of the legislation coming through.

But the most glaring remark about the setup of the Coastal Ferry Act and the Ferry Commission is that it doesn’t take into account B.C. Ferries’ function as a public service. The only reason it seems to exist is to make money.

Again, that brings me into a real concern that’s happening in Prince Rupert right now. B.C. Ferries is trying to implement route 10A, which is a Tsawwassen–Prince Rupert trip. So it will be Tsawwassen, Port Hardy, Prince Rupert, every second week, meaning 20 fewer sailings in and out of Prince Rupert during the summer — a huge impact on tourism from Haida Gwaii all the way out to Prince George and the city of Prince Rupert. The tourism associations are concerned.

My biggest concern is that B.C. Ferries wants to do the crewing out of Tsawwassen, which will mean a loss of about 140 jobs in Prince Rupert. We can’t afford to lose one job, as most people in this House realize.

Agriculture. There’s nothing about agriculture in there. You know, the minister talks about the need for a Buy B.C. He says, “Oh, we’re doing it” — but no. We need a true Buy B.C. campaign going, as we had years ago.

Now, as far as children and families, the quote that basically flew out at me was “strengthening families is at the centre of our social and economic agenda.” Well, if we look at the social agenda of this government, it’s been attacking the most vulnerable in the province — the highest poverty rate in Canada for the sixth year in a row, homelessness at one of the highest levels we’ve ever seen, seniors that are barely making it day to day.

There’s no mention of a poverty reduction plan. We see what’s happening under this Premier — six years, number one in child poverty. I can’t even comprehend how this government can suggest that strengthening families is at the centre of their agenda.

If we look at this Premier’s legacy, his legacy is number one for world-class poverty. We are one of the wealthiest countries in the world. The province, our province, is one of the most prosperous regions, but many people are left behind. It’s just not one neighbourhood in British Columbia. It’s the whole province.

One in five B.C. children live in poverty. There are over 10,000 homeless people in communities all around our province, even in small communities. More than 2,000 of them live in greater Vancouver, and Pivot Legal Society says it’s going to likely triple by the year 2010.

Poverty isn’t new. But this government, under this Premier’s priorities, has made it worse for the most vulnerable in our province. Until 2001 poverty in this province was dropping faster and farther than the national rate. But what changed? Well, what changed was that the B.C. Liberals got in power.

Between 2002 and 2005 this Premier cut spending on social programs by nearly one-third, and that included annual funding for new social housing. He made social assistance harder to get. It forced people to jump through a maze of bureaucratic hoops, forced people who could no longer pay rent or buy food to wait three weeks before even letting them apply again. The number of people on welfare kept getting higher, and the number of homeless people doubled.

The average income for poor families in British Columbia is over $11,000 below the poverty line. The B.C. poverty rate for aboriginal children is more than 40 percent. The B.C. poverty rate for children in single-parent families is 50 percent. The average annual income for the richest 1/10 of 1 percent in B.C. is almost $2.5 million. These are statistics that we shouldn’t be proud of.

What do we have here? We have a gold medal for poverty hanging around the Premier’s neck — the highest child poverty in Canada for six years in a row.

We look at tourism, culture and the arts. What’s missing? Well, there’s no mention about how the government will help the tourism industry survive the horrendous blow from the HST, no mention of how the government will address funding for tourism destination marketing organizations, no mention of reinstating the funding that was cut from arts and culture, and no mention of a serious plan to avoid the 7 percent drop in tourism that has been forecast by Central 1 Credit Union.

What was noticeable in the throne speech were the platitudes around education: “New forms of schooling will be developed to provide greater choice and diversity” and “parental involvement.” There’s nothing in this throne speech that indicates that this government understands the true implications of the downloading and lack of funding for schools throughout the province and the crisis that they’re in.

Parents, students and teachers wanted to hear a commitment from the government with a substantial vision about how resources would be invested in the education system. Instead, it came out as vague schemes, lofty language and ignoring what’s happening in school districts throughout the province.

Recently the B.C. Association of School Business Officials, which are the secretary-treasurers, said that the K-to-12 system needs an extra $300 million to maintain current levels and that if it doesn’t get an immediate injection of new funding, it’s going to mean cuts to children with special needs, layoffs of teachers, layoffs of support staff. Here the government can find half a billion dollars for a new roof on B.C. Place, but they refuse to protect public education from devastating and severe cuts.

The cost pressures, the downloading onto school districts — we’re seeing it throughout the province, in Kamloops, Prince George, Victoria — negotiated salary increases, negotiated pension adjustments, administrative salary increases, administrative pensions, support staff increases, carbon offsets, gas tax, smart-tool software, MSP increases, hydro rate increases, BCeSIS costs, DPAC and PAC cuts, B.C. School Sports cuts, full-day kindergarten, building maintenance costs, TOC criteria for wages as far as the Ready award, StrongStart costs.

Then there are the other revenue pressures: the annual facilities grant, the funding protection, the one-time reserves that they’re holding, growth in special ed and general inflation for supplies. There are dozens of cost pressures that are being downloaded onto school districts throughout the province.

I think the most amazing thing that came out of the throne speech was the phrase: “Nothing is more important…than the harmonized sales tax.” This government just doesn’t get it — 90 percent of British Columbians realize that we have to go in a different direction. This is not the time to implement a regressive downloading of $1.9 billion onto them.

In the Haida Gwaii Observer, they did an editorial where they said that the HST is a tax grab at a time when a recession has already taken its toll on the provincial economy.

• “It will only worsen job losses and economic difficulty for most residents of British Columbia. Those hardest hit will be low-income earners who will see more of their limited incomes go to the cost of everyday items not now taxed with the PST.
• “For starters, it means that almost everything on Haida Gwaii will be more expensive. That’s because B.C. Ferries will have to charge the new tax on its fares, freight companies, 7 percent for heating fuel, hydro, non-prescription medicines, other businesses including restaurants, animal feed, fishing charters, school supplies, home building and maintenance. In a recession when many communities are hurting, this is only going to further harm local economies.”
• “On these islands where tourism is important, the impact of increased costs to visitors could be very negative. It’s up to the province to decide whether or not to implement the tax. It’s the duty of our elected officials to lobby against the tax since polls suggest that 85 percent of all British Columbians are against it. It’s time for us and our local politicians to stand up and say no to the HST.”

That’s what we’re going to be doing on this side of the House. We’re going to join the 85 to 90 percent of British Columbians that are going to say no to the HST.

The Council of Tourism Associations have indicated that it’s going to cost 10,000 tourism jobs and up to $545 million in lost revenue, and it’s going to have a disproportionate impact on rural tourism development opportunities. They say that this government told British Columbians during the election campaign they were not going to bring in the HST. No studies were done on the impact and the effect on the tourism industry. They’ve got a real concern about this.

Manitoba recently confirmed that the HST will hurt their consumers. Their report, Sales Tax Harmonization in Manitoba: What it Would Mean, says that an HST in Manitoba would mean consumers would pay over $400 million more in provincial sales tax. But that would be quite a bit higher in our province because our population is nearly four times as much.

Manitoba looked carefully at the implementation and decided not to adopt it. With this government, they said during the election they wouldn’t do it. As soon as it was…. They said they would do it without consultation and without analysis.

Now, we have a long road to ensure opportunities for British Columbians. Many are struggling right now. Many in my riding and rural ridings throughout the province are struggling to make ends meet so they can support their families. We have to ensure that there are more opportunities. We have to ensure that business people, young entrepreneurs get the support they need.

DEBATES OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

(HANSARD)

HOUSE BLUES

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2010

Afternoon Sitting

“There’s been no final decisions made about that,” said Bond. “What I want to make sure is that communities have adequate opportunities to be consulted about that and there’s obviously been some expression of concern in the Prince Rupert area in particular and along the northern corridor.”

Prince Rupert mayor Jack Mussallem wrote to Bond in January. “We feel this will have serious, negative impacts on our tourism industry, and upon the ability of residents to access ferry services,” he wrote, adding it will mean job losses in Prince Rupert.

The change, while adding service from Tsawwassen, would cut the number of sailings from Prince Rupert, he said.

North Coast MLA Gary Coons sent Bond a Feb. 1 letter. “If the point of assembly for the vessels is moved to Tsawwassen, Prince Rupert will lose 100 full-time casual positions, 30-40 summer employment opportunities for students and an unknown amount of permanent full-time jobs,” he wrote. “We cannot afford to lose one job on the North Coast.”

He added, “The proposal would also result in a substantial reduction of sailings into Prince Rupert with huge implications for tourism in Prince Rupert, Haida Gwaii and all along the Highway 16 tourist route, right into Prince George.”

He encouraged Bond to reject any change in service levels on the route.

Bond said she needs more information before she can make the decision. “We need to have all the facts and obviously government’s going to make sure we have a really clear understanding of what this involves and what the impacts would be on communities,” she said.

“Having said that we are interested in seeing tourism increase in British Columbia, we’re looking at all the possibilities and this route addition, at least according to B.C. Ferries, is one of the things that may help do that.”

By Andrew MacLeod

The Tyee