VICTORIA, B.C. – The B.C. NDP’s new economic plan shows necessary investments, but recycles already announced economic initiatives, falling short of a new directive for British Columbia’s economy.
“Good governance is about basing decisions on evidence and rooting communications in truth,” said Sonia Furstenau, leader of the B.C. Greens and MLA for Cowichan Valley. “What we see today is a branding exercise rooted in maintaining the government’s image, rather than announcing tangible policy solutions to the challenges we face.
“The economic plan is heavy on rhetoric and light on substance. Many of the announcements included in the plan are items that were advanced months ago. For example, the ‘new vision for forestry,’ restates the aims of legislation that passed in fall 2021. The hydrogen strategy was announced last July, and investment in agritech began last March.”
“This government notes that reconciliation is a top priority in building a stronger economy, yet they are using the same-old playbook,” said Adam Olsen, MLA for Saanich North and the Islands. “It appears this government engaged with businesses and labour on this outlook months before any discussions with First Nations and Indigenous organizations. They cannot meaningfully create a new shared governance model by bringing in Indigenous people as an afterthought.”
“I am pleased to see an emphasis on supporting students in all settings - universities, trades, and tech,” said MLA Furstenau. “I am also happy to see a movement towards measuring a ‘broader set of indicators,’ rather than just focussing on GDP to measure a healthy economy, which was a 2017 BC Green initiative included in the Confidence and Supply Agreement. While it's heartening to hear the government acknowledge the necessity of addressing inequality and climate change, we need government to invest in concrete measures that will get us to a greener and more equitable future.
“Right now, British Columbians are struggling with crisis after crisis: the COVID-19 pandemic, the toxic drug crisis, climate change, housing unaffordability. British Columbians deserve clarity on where we are going from here. They deserve the truth, not a government invested in shoring up their own image. We’re hoping to see these words followed by action in the 2022 budget next week.”
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JoJo Beattie
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