Throne Speech big on slogans, MLA says

Lacks rural content, Macdonald says

BY CAROLYN GRANT
Kimberley Daily Bulletin

Thursday, February 14, 2008

The provincial government laid out a Live Smart program in their Throne speech Tuesday, introducing various new measures to creat safe, secure communities, build excellence in education, further strengthen the New Relationship with First Nations, and give British Columbians options to become personally involved in combating climate change.

The speech outlined programs such as LiveSmart that will move toward green development and get individual citizens involved in carbon reduction.

The government will pursue a goal of zero net deforestation and launch an ambitious tree planting program.

A number of environmental initiatives including asking the Legislature to adopt California equivalent emission standards will be launched, as will new programs in health and education.

But Columbia River - Revelstoke MLA Norm Macdonald says the proof will be in the details, which will be explained more fully in the coming budget and in a new climate action plan to be introduced shortly after the budget.

"With all these throne speeches there are sentiments you want to applaud," Macdonald said, "but there's still very little detail."

One of the aspects of the speech that is of most concern, Macdonald says, is the long target dates on the climate change plan.

"A lot of action is to take place well beyond the mandate of this government," he said. "Any time there's commitment well after the government will no longer be there, that's something to watch."

Macdonald also says that, having spent the past two months travelling his riding and hearing concerns, he didn't hear a lot of what people in the Kootenays are talking about in the speech.

"There's nothing on tourism; nothing to address poverty -- we have the highest child poverty rates in Canada, and it doesn't even warrant a mention. There was nothing for affordable housing. There is such a call for a housing plan. Kimberley has a housing committee, as does almost every other community, so it is being recognized as a serious problem at the municipal level."

Macdonald is also concerned about the lack of a concrete plan to address the current crisis situation in the forest industry.

Planting trees is all well and good, he says, but the industry is in crisis now.

"There are a lot of slogans that sound good, but where's the plan? Nobody who is currently employed in a mill is likely to switch to tree planting."

Macdonald was also looking for more on seniors' and rural issues.

"It ignores the realities of rural BC," he said. "There is no consistency in the speech with what people are telling me. I find that there's alot re-announcing stuff with lower numbers. I found myself saying 'that sounds good, but I thought I heard that before' and then I read back and realize that I did."

In the speech, Premier Campbell promises a goal of an efficient, effective, integrated health system that promotes the health of all citizens, and provides high-quality patient care consistent with the Canada Health Act.

"What does that mean?" Macdonald asks. "In 2001, we were promised health care where you need it, when you need, it, and now I'm hearing things like reasonable access. That sounds like a step backwards to me."

The government has also promised to enshrine 'sustainability' as a sixth principle of the Canada Health Act, joining accessibility, universality, portability, comprehensiveness and public administration.

The word makes Macdonald nervous.

"The whole sustainability language raises alarm bells around privatization. It's a code word for putting in place programs or policies that are going to exclude people."