1994 Legislative Session: 3rd Session, 35th Parliament
HANSARD
The following electronic version is for informational purposes only.
The printed version remains the official version.
(Hansard)
TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 1994
Morning Sitting
Volume 13, Number 16
[ Page 9665 ]
The House met at 10:03 a.m.
Prayers.
(continued)
On the main motion.
D. Symons: Over the past week we've heard and read many comments on the NDP's third budget. Despite the apparent moderation of this budget, in comparison to the excessive tax and fee increases and increased spending of the previous two budgets, let us not forget that this is the same government. This is the same group of players, albeit slightly rotated, sitting around the cabinet table guided by the same political philosophy that produced the first two budgets. No, this budget does not reflect a change of heart or even a realization of the folly of their previous efforts. It simply reflects the realization that this government is nearing the end of its mandate and is getting closer to an election. It is time, they reason, to soothe the public after the last two tax-and-spend years -- soothe the public this year, bring in a budget promising reduced taxes and reduced spending next year and then call an election before carrying out those promises. It's old-style politics practised by old-style politicians who have not yet got the message that the public is no longer buying that approach. They will no longer be bought with their own hard-earned taxpayers' dollars. Voters want an honest, open and straightforward government. They want a government that does not try to manipulate people, one that does not use taxpayers' money to try and promote itself under the guise of giving the public information. Sleaze is no longer in.
The first thing that I notice about this budget is that, along with the previous budget, it lacks an economic plan. There is no blueprint for enhancing the economy of this province, no plan for developing secondary industry and no incentives to business. Rather, we have a vague promise to reduce the deficit over the next few years -- a promise we heard during the last election. It's an unkept promise, and hardly an economic plan for the future. It's a promise from a government whose previous Finance minister, when in opposition, criticized the former government's budget, saying: "Balancing the budget is easy -- a piece of cake." That came from the minister who produced the two largest successive deficits in this province's history. He found that you cannot reward your friends and insiders and keep costs down at the same time. To the taxpayers' disappointment, friends and insiders come first for this government. Are the promises of today any better or more believable than the promises of three years ago? I doubt it.
I mentioned earlier that this budget does not represent a change of heart. The intention and philosophy that drive this government are clear. The actions and budgets of their first two and a half years in office are a testimony to their beliefs. I will enlarge on that later, but the New Democratic Party constitution shows clearly the ideology that's driving this government. The preamble to their constitution says: "The New Democratic Party" -- of British Columbia -- "believes that social, economic and political progress in Canada can only be assured by the application of democratic socialist principles to government and the administration of public affairs." How do they define democratic socialism? I quote again: "That the production and distribution of goods and services shall be directed to meeting the social and individual needs of people and not for profit. To modify and control the operations of monopolistic productive and distributive organizations through economic and social planning; towards these ends, and where necessary the extension of the principle of social ownership."
This constitution says that the production and distribution of goods and services should not be for profit. Now there's an incentive to investors. Come to B.C.; invest and create jobs in B.C.; but we don't believe that you should make a profit. That's the philosophy of this particular government, and it shows again and again in the legislation and words of the members of this government. I bet that the Premier neglected to mention this statement of philosophy on his business trip to our Pacific Rim neighbours and Europe. I doubt it very much.
It is ironic that a party whose constitution opposes profit should even be considering for-profit gambling casinos in this province. I use the word gambling; I think gaming is a misnomer. I can only assume they have made such a mess of the government's finances that in desperation for revenue they're willing to sell their principles short to hide that mess. Who else -- and what else -- are they willing to sell out?
This budget tinkered with, but did not remove, that ill-conceived suppressor of investment, the corporate capital tax. This roadblock to investment should have been eliminated. Who wants to invest in more equipment, building or assets that would create jobs of any sort, only to be taxed on the value of these new assets? It makes more sense from a business's viewpoint to invest south of the border, create jobs there and ship the finished product north to B.C. markets. Of course, the other alternative is to wait until the next provincial election. Stay alive until '95; that is the goal of many B.C. businesses suffering under the taxing policies of this government.
The NDP constitution talks about economic and social planning and the principle of social ownership. More correctly stated, this means economic and social engineering -- more government, intrusive government and controlling government. Socialist principles -- albeit on a grander and more radical scale than this government espouses -- have been tried over past decades in eastern Europe and have miserably failed the people and economies of those countries. In Sweden, that Mecca of democratic socialism, the people have turned their backs on socialism and returned to a free enterprise economy.
In B.C., however, antiquated socialist dogma is still alive in the thinking of this government's members. Their work in the chamber and their legislation is testimony to this fact. They still believe employer bad, employee good. They see an entrepreneur as a cigar-chewing tycoon riding on the backs of their near-slave employees. I doubt many see an employer as someone who has invested a lot of their capital and time -- their blood, sweat and tears -- to try to make a decent return on that investment while at the same time creating enjoyment.
Interjections.
The Speaker: Order, please.
D. Symons: Without employers there would not be employees. Unless, of course, this government intends to bring everybody into the civil service, and knowing this government's record I hesitate even to joke about that. Since this government came to power in October 1991, the number of public servants has increased by 3,739 bodies. That's 2,700
[ Page 9666 ]
newly employed, and the remaining 1,000 are contract workers brought into the government service.
I find it difficult to understand why measures taken by the government a year or two ago, and strongly defended as sensible, prudent measures then, are now being dumped. I argued strenuously but without success against an increase in the jet fuel tax in this House just two years ago, when Bill 8 was introduced. Maybe the government members are just slow learners and it takes that long for the message to sink in. I take no pleasure in the fact that I was right and that the government has finally corrected their mistake. Canada's already suffering airline industry had two years of unnecessary hardships added to it by this government's heavy-handed tactics. Indeed, the corporate capital tax added to the fuel tax was almost the death blow to Canadian airlines.
This budget also reverses the tax on the trade-in value in automobile sales. What an unfair tax ripoff that was. Maybe they deserve some credit for realizing and correcting their mistakes. But would it not have been better to have considered the consequences first rather than corrected a bad decision after the damage had been done?
[10:15]
The government is going to divest itself of its investments in the B.C. Endowment Fund, but rather than using that $300 million to pay down the provincial debt, the money is going into this year's spending plan. The Finance minister should be looking for ways to reduce spending, not ways of finding more money to cover spending increases.
Interjection.
D. Symons: I'm glad that the former Finance minister agrees with that statement.
The projected provincial debt at the end of the 1994 fiscal year is over $27 billion. That's an increase of 36 percent. And this government wants us to believe that it's spending is under control? The Premier may talk a good line and flip his little charts, but the red ink continues to flow profusely. Off-loading government spending to other authorities doesn't hide the fact that spending continues to climb. Removing highways capital project spending from the Ministry of Transportation and Highways and placing it in the Transportation Financing Authority does not change the fact that somebody somewhere sometime is going to have to pay for the projects. Whether it is through future taxpayers, toll-payers or fuel taxes, today's projects will have to be paid for. While I agree that schools, hospitals and highways are essential to the well-being of the citizens of this province, referring to spending on these items as spending on assets is ridiculous. When was the last time a highway or a hospital was sold off? In case the minister has not noticed, the market for used highways is not very great in this province.
If we add $300 million for highway construction to other moneys squirrelled away in various accounts, the deficit in this budget is considerably more than the $900 million the minister speaks of. The Premier's vow of no new taxes is a sham. Taxes already on the books will continue to squeeze the taxpayer. Increasing payments by B.C. Hydro to the government will inevitably be passed along to the hydro customer, and we've seen that happen recently. Subsidies to ferries and transit have been cut back in this budget and will result in higher fares; you can bet on it. There are many insidious ways that this government intends to continue milking the public. No new taxes? I think not. Fee and licence increases are all tax increases.
The budget anticipates tax revenues to increase by 7.2 percent. Some of this increase will come because of increased economic activity, but some will come from previously announced increases that begin to kick in this year. A 7.2 percent increase can hardly be considered a tax freeze.
The real issue in British Columbia today is jobs. Jobs in the forest industry are threatened. Jobs in the mining industry are fleeing to South America. There is little in this budget that addresses the creation of long-term employment. Government capital works create short-term -- not permanent -- employment. It is real jobs -- ones that will add to the economy -- that are needed. A freeze on taxes is not enough incentive for business to feel secure in investing in job training and creating high-tech industries. We have yet to see a government strategy to seriously address job creation. That is a serious omission in this budget and this government's planning. As a matter of fact, most of the job creation strategy seems to be to create more government jobs for friends and insiders.
I would like to close by quoting article I(1.03) of the constitution of the B.C. New Democratic Party, which says: "Should conflict arise between the constitution of this party and that of the New Democratic Party of Canada, hereinafter referred to as the 'federal constitution,' the federal constitution shall prevail." We find in those words the fact that this party is beholden to its federal Big Brother. I would like at this time to point out that the federal New Democratic Party has been rejected by the citizens of this province and country, and the provincial party is obviously part of the federal party, according to their own constitution. They are beholden to the same constitution.
The Liberal Party of British Columbia, which I represent, is wholly independent, and we have a constitution that states that.
Interjections.
D. Symons: In spite of all the talking on the part of the members opposite....
Interjections.
The Speaker: Order, hon. members!
D. Symons: I would remind hon. members opposite that members of their federal party and provincial party all wore Yes buttons. The federal Liberal party was Yes; the provincial Liberal party was No. We have that ability. We have independent policies that suit the people of British Columbia.
The Speaker: Order, please. Hon. members, it's still early in the morning. I know that members may not be oriented, but please address the Chair when you're making speeches.
D. Symons: I would like to end by saying that while this budget is not as onerous on the people of the province as previous ones, all of the onerous parts of the previous budgets are still in place. Simply freezing taxes -- or the supposed promise of freezing taxes -- does not really reduce the debt load that has been added by this government onto the people of B.C.
K. Jones: I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate you, hon. Speaker, on your new position here as the full-time Speaker of this House. You've done a fine job in the past as Deputy Speaker. With you in the chair we will continue to have good judgments that help keep the order and decorum in this House.
[ Page 9667 ]
I'd also like to welcome to this House the member for Matsqui, my seatmate who will be here shortly after he comes over from his riding, and our new leader, the Leader of the Official Opposition. They've done a great job in showing that the Liberal Party is alive and well and that we are growing and will continue to grow.
I would also like to bring to the members' attention the fact that Victoria will be hosting the 66 countries of the Commonwealth in the Commonwealth Games this summer, from August 18 to the 28. It's wonderful that the people of British Columbia can get behind this. It is not just a Victoria event; it is a British Columbia and Canada event. It will be a chance for us to show to the nation and the world the kind of hospitality we have here.
The Speaker: Order, please, hon. members. I'm not sure what is causing the problem, but it seems as though we're getting an inordinate amount of interjections and disturbances from the government back bench. I would ask the members to keep in mind that the Chair has a duty to respect every member who takes his place in debate. Every member will be in that position sooner or later, and I would like to accord the same respect to all members.
The hon. member for Surrey-Cloverdale has the floor, and I think he should be allowed to make his speech without undue interruption.
K. Jones: It is for that kind of ruling that we have the impartial position of Speaker -- to bring about an open discussion and an opportunity for all members to be heard in this House, in the true democratic process that this Legislature represents to all 75 representatives throughout British Columbia who come here to represent the people of their ridings. I believe that all members come here with dedication and an intent to serve and do their very best, and get the best return for the taxpayers of British Columbia. Members do so in various ways and by their various talents. We have to make sure that we identify and recognize the efforts of every member in this House in trying to bring the very best accountability for the taxes that we have the duty of administering, and also to bring accountability, judgment and wisdom into the decisions on the regulations and laws that we generate in this House.
I would like to talk about Surrey's needs in this debate, because it is a very important factor, with the budget having been determined as it has. I would like to talk about the information that the Surrey School Board has passed to me. They are presently looking at a shortfall of $9.5 million in their operating budget. It is almost impossible to cut services or administration to make up that shortfall. The fact is that Surrey -- the fastest-growing community with the largest population increase every year -- is being totally underfunded in the areas of K-to-12 education and post-secondary education. We don't have any facilities for university-level students, hospitals, policing or other municipal services.
There is a definite need to rethink the process by which communities with fast-paced growth get adequate funding to serve their people. Surrey has the lowest per capita funding of any school district in British Columbia. It has been the lowest for ten years. That is a shameful situation that none of us in this House can allow to continue. Yet previous governments and now this government continue to perpetuate the total underfunding of people who choose to live in Surrey. Surrey is a really wonderful place for people to live and bring up their families. It has atmosphere, culture and parks that are the envy of other communities across Canada.
I am very pleased to have the opportunity to represent the eastern half of Surrey. We have very fine agricultural areas and a very successful, but very marginal, agricultural industry. It's marginal because there's always the competition with the farm belt in California, which has a longer growing season and is closer to major markets there. We in British Columbia, though, should be very proud of our farm industry and the people who make up the family farms. They really make all the difference in the world to the success that we have here.
[10:30]
These people should have been recognized in this budget speech. But unfortunately, there seemed to be a missing link in the Finance minister's presentation of the budget -- and that was the area of agriculture. Agriculture is the third- or fourth-largest industry in British Columbia, one that we as citizens have grown to depend on for its abundance, quality and the very sustenance of life. We in British Columbia have the finest products anywhere in the world, and we can compete anywhere in the world with these products -- given a fair, flat playing field, one that has open competition opportunities. We can do it, and we can do it well.
I'd like to go back to the education area again. This government imposed a teachers' settlement on the Surrey School Board but provided no funding for the additional amount imposed. The settlement includes a 2.5 percent lift to both teachers and CUPE members at the end of this contract in June of this year. It is going to have to be included in this fiscal year, and yet there was no consideration for it in the allocation of funds to Surrey. The amount of money that was given this year is the same as last year. Administration funds have been frozen. We'd like to get some clarification with regard to that. Does the administration freeze refer to the senior administration or the school administration -- vice-principals and principals? That has not been clarified to the school board's knowledge and certainly not to this House's knowledge.
There are always promises of a new funding formula, and each year we hear that there have been studies on it. But each year we have not received an adequate new formula that would accommodate the real need in the high-growth communities, such as Surrey, Langley, Abbotsford and Kelowna. The Ministry of Finance still seems to think that will go away if they ignore it.
We have the situation of the Enver Creek elementary school in Surrey, where a big press conference was held on 24 hours' notice, in order to get everybody there to unveil a big B.C. 21 billboard on the site and to give out B.C. 21 T-shirts. There were a lot of photo opportunities for NDP MLAs with the school trustees. There was a big announcement that this new elementary school was going to get started. That was last year, and three extensions to the tendering process on this school have been given by the school board. The three extensions were required because of the promise of funding. When each of these tenders was due, there was no funding available. The indication now is that there is not going to be any capital funding at all this year for this highly touted school. This is in a fast-growing community of Surrey where they absolutely need that elementary school. The school board is in a quandary to figure out how the government is operating with their funds. They don't seem to be recognizing that they have to address these needs.
I'd like to relate the statements made by Jay Norton, the president of the Certified General Accountants' Association of British Columbia, with reference to the budget. They
[ Page 9668 ]
commend the minister on efforts to reduce the deficit. But they also state that, by the Finance minister's own admission, debt interest now accounts for the entire deficit in the 1994-95 year. The bottom line is that even if the government meets its target of balancing the budget by 1996-97, the province's direct debt will have reached $11 billion. At current interest rates, the government is going to have to generate a surplus of $1 billion a year for the next 20 years if we want to make sure that the province is debt-free by the time today's newborn children become adults. As the budget itself points out, increasing the direct debt is like buying groceries on your credit card. Finance Minister Cull proposes to add another $900 million to the government's credit card this year and is counting on an increase in revenue to allow her to make the payments. Let's hope her optimism is justified.
I certainly hope her optimism is justified, because that would mean our economy is booming. But what I hear in the community is that people are not spending money in the small businesses, which are the primary engine for our economy. The small businesses are saying people have decided to hold back because of the uncertain future of their jobs. This government is not giving an assurance to the people of British Columbia that their jobs have security. The only secure jobs they seem to be giving are those within the public service. Even those may be questionable as they make their changes and swings, such as....
In the area I have responsibility for as critic, the Government Services area, they are probably taking the right direction in privatizing the government air services. But it's unfortunate that their timing seems to be out of sync with the facts. They were doing a study of whether it was better to privatize or not privatize the government air services. They continued on with increasing the indebtedness of the province by entering into a ten-year lease agreement for the air operations centre at the Victoria International Airport, which is billed out at $1 million a year -- to have this new facility they really didn't need for the few years they were doing this study. The study was underway. They had an engineering report that said they could stay in the existing facility for the next few years and that it was going to be safe and adequate for their usage. While they were looking at privatizing it, why was there the need to spend this extra money and burden the taxpayers of British Columbia even more? It doesn't sound like there is anybody in control in this operation. It looks like another case of NDP mismanagement.
I would like to talk about the municipal grant program with regard to Surrey. It looks like the amount given to Surrey this year -- which I understand may be about the same amount as last year -- is $35 per capita. That certainly won't go very far toward helping pay for the massive infrastructure that's required in a municipality as large as Surrey, which is 11 miles wide and 14 miles long. The city has had tremendous growth and requires the rebuilding of old sewers, water mains, roads and bridges to meet the demands of both the internal needs and the need for traffic routes and services with adjoining municipalities.
Surrey is the hub of British Columbia and the hub of the Fraser Valley. As it grows to over 600,000 in population by 2021, extra costs are going to be incurred. That's going to require a re-evaluation of the distribution of funds in British Columbia. It will have to be recognized that the people in Vancouver, who have always done quite well as far as per capita funding is concerned, will have to take a little less -- they are in the upper part when it comes to the distribution of funds -- so that other communities like Surrey will be able to come up, if only to the middle. I think that the citizens of Surrey deserve to be at the top and deserve to have the very best that this province can provide. They work hard for it, and they deserve it. I would be happy if we could just bring Surrey up to about the middle so that all communities in our province could be treated equally.
I don't want to take government support away from small communities throughout British Columbia. I have lived in those communities, and I know that they develop the resources that provide a lot of the taxation in British Columbia. They also deserve their fair share. But I think we have to recognize that there isn't a fair distribution of funding in British Columbia at the present time. There are people living in the Fraser Valley who are not being treated fairly.
[10:45]
I'd also like to address another area that wasn't addressed in the budget speech. I make this as a suggestion. I actually presented the idea to the Minister of Social Services, in letter form, of voluntary repayment of social services benefits by a former recipient. In this case the person was a single parent with teenage children. The spouse had left, they were hard-pressed to make ends meet, and therefore the parent worked without declaring the income. The parent is now working and wishes to repay the benefits that were received.
The ministry does not know of this case. I know of it only because the person phoned and left me the information. Here is an opportunity to receive some revenue to reduce some of the costs of social services and therefore make more services available for other people in need. This person wants to be able to make this payback without the problem of prosecution. The person is truly contrite and is concerned as a result of reading this week of the prosecution of a Penticton woman who voluntarily tried to make payments under similar circumstances.
I realize that there have been improvements in the enforcement process and that a program is now in place. I think that now would be the appropriate time to have the government bring in a period of amnesty for people to voluntarily make payments they would normally be charged for. In many cases the ministry has no idea about them as they are basically in the underground economy, the cash economy, and there is no way of collecting. It's amazing, when you make these voluntary opportunities, that the people whose conscience may indicate a concern will make the payments back. The result is that there will be funding available for other people in need. I would therefore like to recommend to the Minister of Social Services that within a very short time she seriously consider an amnesty program for people to make voluntary payments, so that we might get a little better return from these people who have now turned a corner in their lives, are back in the workforce and feeling that they want to contribute totally to our society.
One of the key things we have to recognize with regard to this budget is the great change to the debt that this province is now facing. Another $2 billion added to the total debt of this province is something that we cannot accept. We cannot keep adding to the debt, because no matter what the Minister of Finance says about reducing the deficit, the debt is the end total of everything. We have to keep paying the interest, and we should be paying down the principal for that debt, as we do with any home mortgage. You can't just keep putting it off. Sooner or later the bank will foreclose and you will lose your home.
In this case it's not the bank that forecloses; it's the rating agencies that change our interest rating. Eventually the interest rate that we will have to pay for borrowing will go up and up. That's a legacy that this NDP government is
[ Page 9669 ]
giving to the next few years of government -- one that I hope, as many people throughout British Columbia are saying, will be a Liberal government, a government that people feel will be caring and responsive to their needs; that has a heart and is compassionate; that is fiscally responsible; and that will make sure that the taxpayers' money is used in a very prudent and wise manner. There is no question that this side of the House is very desirous of representing the taxpayers' earnings that are on loan to this House to provide services to all British Columbians.
Hon. J. Cashore: It's very good to rise in the House during the budget debate. I am very honoured to be able to speak at this time and to recognize that the efforts of this government have resulted in the benefits to the province that we are now going to see, and that the years of mismanagement that we experienced under Social Credit and right-wing governments have come to an end. We are now seeing the effects of the very good and well-planned policies of the two Ministers of Finance we have had in this House during the term of this government: jobs are up, the deficit is down and taxes are being frozen.
We hear the bleating of the opposition trying to find a handle to hold on to in order to be able to find something to criticize. The fact is that their first somewhat begrudging words were words of respect and praise, because they too recognize that this is a good budget for the province. British Columbia is number one in all of Canada in terms of a vibrant economy. We have the second-lowest per capita debt of any province in Canada. The deficit is down by over $1 billion from when we took office, and jobs are running at three times the national average. Taxes are frozen for over three years -- a tremendous result of very good planning. Obviously, long-term job creation comes with economic growth, and the policies that this government has put in place are enabling economic growth that is sustainable not only from an economic point of view but also from an environmental point of view.
I also see the forthcoming announcements from the Ministry of Skills, Training and Labour foreshadowed in the budget. The budget talked about skills training for the twenty-first century and about recognizing the importance of being able to equip this province's human resources for the jobs which fit into those places with the greatest need for the highly qualified skills that will help us continue to take our place on the world stage as a very effective and exemplary province, not only here within Canada but also internationally.
I'd like to say a few things about my constituency of Coquitlam-Maillardville. I am very honoured to represent my constituency in this Legislature. It has suffered as a result of neglect over the past several years. This area of the lower mainland has experienced the greatest growth that we have seen anywhere in Canada -- second perhaps only to Surrey. But we have seen that over the past several years this area, while an area of great growth, has had the benefit of at least some consideration with regard to the development of infrastructure.
The communities on the north side of the Fraser River have had to endure a complete lack of government assistance with regard to the tremendous infrastructure needs. We've had a development-oriented approach that has enabled the building of vast housing areas, where we saw trees clearcut from hillsides and neighbourhoods going in. While that was going on, we saw the process on the Westwood Plateau, where housing went in without any infrastructure or thought for transit or schools. These regressive policies of the previous government left the people of that area in the very difficult situation of having a huge tract of land being sold off without setting aside any land for parks, schools, a community centre or an art centre. We are in the position of having to go back cap in hand in order to deal with the lack of forward planning that is so essential in areas of high growth.
We recognize that growth on the north side of the Fraser River is a reality. We also recognize, given the appropriate kind of planning and the importance of effectively developed infrastructure, that growth can be done in a way that brings with it quality of life, instead of what we are seeing. What we are seeing is the frustration of commuters who are trying to get into work in various parts of the lower mainland -- very often in downtown Vancouver. They try the bus service and often find that that service is subject to the congestion on the roads. Therefore it's quite onerous for people in our part of the lower mainland to get appropriate transportation into downtown Vancouver, while that is not the case for those who live along the SkyTrain route.
On the other hand, we as government are dealing with a number of situations that have been subject to neglect in the areas of education, advanced education, transit, transportation and support services for such things as the needs of teens. Our area has Riverview Hospital, and we understand that changes are being anticipated in that area. We have Colony Farm in our area, which is also the location of the Forensic Psychiatric Institute. All of these institutions are elements of our community that give it shape but which indicate the need for the kind of planning and forward thinking that truly serves the constituents.
[11:00]
I'm very pleased to be able to point out that as a result of the very effective fiscal planning that has been done we are seeing a 6 percent increase in operating funds for local education in 1994-95. That's a tremendous turnaround, considering that for many years education in that area has had the second-lowest per capita funding in the province. I'm delighted to see that turning around.
[D. Lovick in the chair.]
Having seen some of the guests in the gallery, I would like to seek leave, first of all, for my colleague the member for Port Coquitlam to make an introduction; and, secondly, I would like to make an introduction myself.
Leave granted.
M. Farnworth: It's a pleasure to welcome a number of students from Quebec City who are visiting the Legislature with their teacher, Mr. Pelletier. Would the House please make them welcome.
Hon. J. Cashore: I would also like to seek leave to add to that introduction.
Leave granted.
Hon. J. Cashore: Included with that group of students from Quebec City, we also have several students from Como Lake Junior Secondary school in Coquitlam along with their teaching staff. I ask the House to also make them welcome.
Resuming my comments with regard to the 6 percent increase in funding to the Coquitlam School District for operating costs, that area had been subject to neglect for many years as a result of the policies of the previous government. We have had the benefit in Coquitlam of very
[ Page 9670 ]
effective fiscal management on the part of the staff and school trustees of district 43. They suffered long and hard over a great many years. Along with my colleagues the members for Port Coquitlam and Port Moody-Burnaby Mountain, it has been wonderful to be able to rejoice with those trustees and finally see the kind of funding coming forward that recognizes the growth that has taken place in that area. We are delighted to be able to affirm and express our appreciation to the Minister of Education and his ministry for having the foresight to take an appropriate approach to funding in that area.
After years and years of no schools being constructed in our area, it has also been wonderful to be able to preside at the recent opening of three elementary schools in district 43. That is something we are very pleased to see happen after a hiatus of many years of neglect, when the needs of the families and students of that area were simply ignored. It wasn't many years ago that Millside school, not far from where I live, was almost put on the market to be sold off to help the school district deal with costs at that time. Thank goodness it was not sold, because as I understand it that school is full to capacity. In-fill housing has gone into that neighbourhood, and that school, which is historic in the Maillardville community, continues to service the community extremely well. We are very pleased that the approach of the previous provincial government, which was pound foolish, has not been followed, and that that school is still there.
I'm glad to see my colleagues for Port Moody-Burnaby Mountain and Port Coquitlam in the House. Following a very tragic fire at Roy Stibbs school at the end of December, the three of us were faced with the dilemma of realizing that there really is no insurance when a school burns down. If a school is to be rebuilt, it requires the same kind of assessment of need that would indicate that it needed to be built in the first place. We took that case to the Minister of Education and officials within that ministry. We were very pleased that on the basis of the concerted efforts of the parents, staff, the school trustees and the MLAs in doing our job and carrying that message from the community to government, we were able to make the case and see the minister assure us that Roy Stibbs school would be rebuilt. So when we were on our way to attend a candlelight vigil one night, where the parents and students in a sense were in mourning over the loss of their school, we were able to turn that vigil into a celebration by announcing that the school would indeed be reconstructed. Again, not having given up on that process, we recognized how important it was to the infrastructure and the morale of that community.
Recognizing the importance of a school in the lives of the people, we were able to announce just a week ago that the ministry in its wisdom has agreed to go for the construction management method, which means there's a very real chance that that school will be ready to open its doors by next September when the next school year goes back in. We're certainly continuing to work to see that that will happen, because we believe that those children and families living in that area deserve the best we can do on their behalf to ensure that that educational facility is in place and that disruption is removed from their lives. We're very pleased about having had the opportunity to represent the needs of that community to the ministry and the minister in Victoria, and to be able to say that a wise and compassionate government has responded in an appropriate way in the interests of the learning and morale of the people of that area.
I'm also pleased to say that, since I have become the MLA, I've been able to have a role in taking the needs of the people to government and to have announced in my constituency $6 million of funding that has been committed to local long-term care facilities. That again has been a very worthwhile thing; we must recognize the importance of our seniors. Foyer Maillard is now under construction with much-needed additional facilities. Because of the compassion of this government in recognizing the needs of those people and because of the way in which we've been able to take forward the concerns of the people working in the Foyer Maillard, the people from the credit union in Maillardville and the various people who work to maintain the French presence of the Maillardville community, I'm able to say we can ensure that that facility, which is a very important part of the community, is able to have that improvement.
One of the commitments that the MLAs of the area made is with regard to Colony Farm. We see Colony Farm's future as a green future, but work still needs to be done to determine what kind of land use plan should be in place to ensure that future. So I'm very pleased that -- after many years of neglect -- the process is in place for that determination and that citizens of Coquitlam have been placed on a steering committee to assist the government in deciding exactly what the nature of that green future will be.
Recently, it was a real privilege to sign a river-flow agreement to enhance fish habitat with regard to the Coquitlam River. That agreement related to negotiations with B.C. Hydro, but it is also a tribute to the people of the fish and game club in Port Coquitlam, the Burke Mountain Naturalists and others who worked so hard to ensure that the natural resources of that area are enhanced, protected and refurbished, as is the case with that very fragile Coquitlam River.
We've also been able to secure an agreement with the Ministry of Highways for improvements to the Lougheed Highway, where there is a need for a pedestrian tunnel improvement for the small community between the south side of the highway and the 401 freeway. We have been able to ensure that there will be improvements to safety considerations for those students.
Also, in the land use planning process that is underway, the Pinecone Lake-Burke Mountain study area is being reviewed for park potential. Again, that process is moving forward appropriately. I'm also very pleased that, when I was Minister of Environment, I was able to announce plans for a wildlife management area to be designated at the mouth of the Coquitlam River, which, contiguous with Colony Farm, would do much to enhance some of the wildlife and natural values of that area. The province has also funded an inventory for the arboretum on the Riverview Hospital lands. This is not equalled anywhere in Canada in terms of the rare trees planted there scores of years ago. It's a tremendous amenity for the province, and it has the potential for values with regard to research and other considerations in the protection of those historic trees.
I'm also very pleased that this government has moved forward with regard to legislation to assist tenants in manufactured-home parks. A great many such tenants are within my constituency, and I continue to advocate on behalf of the recommendations of the report done by my colleague from Esquimalt -- recommendations that are very necessary for the support of those residents.
We've also seen this provincial government support local community organizations, including the Festival du Bois which is helping to maintain the French culture within the historic community of Maillardville. There has been support
[ Page 9671 ]
for SUCCESS, which is the immigrant service association in the area. The seniors' organization at Dogwood Pavilion, which is one of the most outstanding seniors' organizations in the province, has had support from this government. The Greater Coquitlam Volunteer Centre has received support. Also, the Port Coquitlam-Port Moody teen centre society and the Tri-City Children's Festival have received support. Just this week my colleagues are going to be involved in some announcements involving the Rotary bicycle path project. That very significant project, being carried out by volunteers in our community, is going to be receiving some very significant assistance.
Of all the concerns in our area, most are around transit and transportation. I'm very pleased, to see that the Minister of Employment and Investment and the Premier have recently made statements about forthcoming announcements with regard to commuter rail. They are a long time coming. It is not going to be the final answer with regard to our transit needs, but given the neglect we have experienced over a great many years, this will go a long way toward addressing the present gridlock in our area. It is going to be very helpful for people all the way from Mission right into Vancouver.
Having said that, there are certain bottlenecks in our area that also require transportation assistance, and we are very optimistic that we can look forward in this budget year to some positive announcements with regard to the much-needed Johnson-Mariner overpass to reduce congestion on the Lougheed Highway, and also the Broadway connecter and Mary Hill bypass to assist commuters going into Vancouver. Because of the good fiscal management of this government, we are seeing that things are turning around to enable us to make these positive announcements in an area that has been subjected to a great deal of neglect in years gone by. Those years are over forever, because we are making the kinds of announcements and decisions and taking the kinds of approaches that will help with the forward planning for that part of our community.
I would like to turn to the ministry that I represent, the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs. First of all, let us recognize that in British Columbia we have a Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs; it is not a ministry of Indian affairs. While there are considerations going on in the federal Ministry of Indian Affairs with regard to the settlement of treaties and self-government, by definition that ministry is designed to promote an institution and perpetuate the Indian Act. On the other hand, the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs is an agent of change. It sees its role not as building up a huge infra-structure or bureaucracy, but as having the kind of leanness within that bureaucracy that enables it to go about doing its work of ensuring an ethic that permeates virtually all aspects of government.
[11:15]
At the present time, the ministry has just over 100 employees. That's a very small number. As a result of this budget, that is going to be increased to enable us to staff up the negotiating teams we need to be able to negotiate modern treaties. But it is still going to be a very lean ministry in size, in terms of both the total cost and the total number of full-time employees. There is going to be a significant increase, but we probably won't see the staff going above 160 or 170.
Having said that, I can also say that, in a way, I am a minister who has a responsibility for 30,000 employees. When you consider the commitment and the ethic of this government that permeates virtually every ministry of government and all the Crown corporations.... We recognize that in the past the relationship with first nations people has not been an honourable one. It has been based on paternalistic values. It has been based on the concept that we, as the descendants of a European, post-contact culture, have had the arrogance to say that our decisions are the right ones and that we know better what is right for you.
That ethic has changed with the development of various decisions made by my colleague the Minister of Forests, the former Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, who worked so hard to put in place the infrastructure that would enable the negotiation of modern treaties that would enable us to develop a new relationship, to walk side by side into a future in which there would be certainty and to ensure that the interests of third parties are recognized -- those third parties being people who come from the fishing and forestry industries, the recreational community and the environmental interests -- so that all those interests would be represented in the kinds of treaties that would be negotiated, and that we would come out of that with the win-win that is a negotiation, rather than the very costly process that results from litigation. So we are very proud of the process we have embarked upon. We have laid the foundation, and now it is time for us to get into that very challenging work that enables us to deliver.
I am the first to realize that there are great expectations when you can look back on 150 years of injustice. There's a great deal of impatience -- and so there should be -- on the part of those who have been waiting for justice. But it's my commitment to go about doing this in a logical, determined way to ensure that we make the right decisions and that we make them step by step to ensure a new future in which there is certainty for all -- in which there can be increased investment and in which first nations people can be factored into the job situation so that they are not experiencing unemployment of over 90 percent. And it's so that the agreement we were able to craft with the Nuu-chah-nulth first nation as part of the Clayoquot land use planning process, which ensures a place within the management, would be what it really is -- a world-class interim measures agreement that enables this government to carry on in a meaningful relationship with first nations, while ensuring that they are factored into the process. As one aboriginal leader said: "I am not seeking to negotiate our way out of Canada; I am seeking to negotiate our way into Canada." That is exactly what the modern treaty-making process is all about.
I look forward to the opportunity I will have later, when we get into the estimates on this ministry, to enter into a more fulsome discussion with regard to the number of initiatives underway. Having said that, I do appreciate this opportunity to take my place in the House on this morning.
H. Lali: Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you on your election as Deputy Speaker.
I rise in support of this budget. It is a great budget for the working men and women of this province. It's a great budget for small business, for the forest industry and also for the regions of this province.
We have put our financial house in order. We inherited a mess from the right-wing coalition under the Socreds. Their last budget was a record $2.4 billion deficit, and in our first year we lowered that to $1.8 billion. Last year it went down to $1.3 billion, and I'm happy to say we have brought that down below a billion dollars this year, to $898 million.
We are the only jurisdiction in Canada that has a growing economy and a shrinking deficit. We have cut waste and frozen taxes while maintaining our social safety net. We have indeed turned the corner. We have listened to the people of
[ Page 9672 ]
British Columbia. We had extensive consultations during the prebudget period. The Minister of Finance took the opportunity to go out into the regions and communities to hold prebudget consultation workshops with people at the local level. He asked MLAs to do the same thing. I had seven prebudget consultation meetings in the communities of Hope, Merritt, Lillooet and others.
The message from the people I talked to was clear. My constituents said that they wanted to maintain essential services and the social safety net, and they wanted us to improve health care and education. But at the same time, they said that they wanted us to get tough on spending; they wanted us to get tough on welfare cheats, while at the same time making sure that funds were available for people who were most in need; they wanted us to bring the deficit under control; and they wanted this government to create jobs and provide skills training for our youth and for those who are changing careers. We listened, and we responded to their needs.
Before talking about this budget, I want to talk about how the past two budgets have impacted on the people of Yale-Lillooet. During the 1991 election campaign, our party produced a 48-point platform that contained 110 promises. In two budgets alone, in only two years, this NDP government has moved on all or most of the promises made in those 48 points.
I made only one promise when I ran for election: that I would personally bring the Minister of Transportation and Highways on a drive through the Yale-Lillooet riding to check out the roads and bridges. The member for Kamloops was appointed the Minister of Transportation and Highways. Together, he and I made seven trips in one year. We drove on virtually every highway and over every bridge in my riding. He came, he saw and he delivered.
The last government promised that they were going to start work on the Whipsaw bridge near Princeton in the spring of 1992; the money was all there. Such was never the case.
I worked closely with the then-Minister of Transportation and Highways, the member for Kamloops, and he saw to it that in last year's budget there was $1.5 million available to start upgrading that Whipsaw bridge and the approach on each side of it. That was phase one. Together with the Minister of Highways, we also found funds to start phase one of reconstructing major portions of the Fraser Bridge at Hope; there was $1.5 million set aside to strengthen the understructure in preparation for doing the approaches and the deck. We also spent moneys to do engineering studies on a new Lytton Bridge, which will be completed within a couple of years. Indeed, I'm hoping that funding will be available in this year's budget so we can start phase one of that project.
I have worked closely in conjunction with the new minister, the member for Bulkley Valley-Stikine, for the last six months, and she has now indicated that the Collettville Bridge in Merritt will be fully funded by the Ministry of Transportation and Highways. Again, I'm hoping that that will be included in this year's budget, and I will continue to work closely with her.
Over the last two years, in the last two budgets, over $20 million was made available under the rehab portion of the Highways budget to the people of Yale-Lillooet for fixing their highways and bridges.
Other things were funded. Over $200,000 was made available by this government to the people of Logan Lake for downtown revitalization programs. Over $3 million was made available for the new district of Hope in its boundary restructuring, which included Kakwa Lake and Silverhope. Under GO B.C. this government provided almost $1 million in funds for the new indoor aquatic facility in Merritt and over $150,000 to the people of Ashcroft for their new pool. The Lillooet council received $79,000 for its secondary water intake in the past year.
The community of Lytton, which is a very small community at the confluence of the Fraser and Thompson Rivers, is dependent on the forest industry. The main employer there is Lytton Lumber. There was a proposal put forth by Canyon Power Inc. Under the new independent power producer policy, they wanted to develop a small cogeneration plant, and the heat and steam produced by that plant would be utilized by Lytton Lumber to dry their wood. They would create up to 20 jobs. I'm happy to say that Lytton was the first community to have a new cogeneration plant approved under the new IPP policy. Construction will start in June. The power generated from it will be bought at a very low price by B.C. Hydro and relayed to Highland Valley Copper.
Funding was also made available by this government for new fire halls in Gold Bridge and Bralorne. The village of Cache Creek received $39,000 for a downtown revitalization program. The town of Princeton received a $20,000 special grant in last year's budget for an industrial land development just outside its boundaries. Countless downtown revitalization grants were given to communities such as Lytton, Lillooet, Ashcroft and Princeton. It seems to me that the people of Yale-Lillooet have never had it better. They were represented by two Social Credit MLAs for almost 16 years, and they went through 16 years of neglect. During those 16 years, the Social Credit Party concentrated on the lower mainland and Victoria and sadly neglected the people in the interior and the north and the North Island. I'm happy to say that this government has seen to it that all regions of the province were represented when it came to allocations in the budget.
I'd like to take a few minutes to explain what is in the budget. As I mentioned, we had our prebudget consultations, and we listened to the people. The deficit is down, jobs are up and taxes have been frozen for three years with this budget. We will have a balanced budget by 1996. One of the things included in this budget is that the B.C. Endowment Fund will be eliminated, and the $600 million we will generate by selling its profits will go toward bringing down debt. Our expenditures for the 1994-95 budget will be $19.63 billion, and revenues will be $18.73 billion. The deficit will be $898 million, down from the $2.4 billion record deficit that we inherited from the last regime.
[11:30]
In 1993 the NDP government in this province created 45,000 new jobs. We created those jobs at a rate three times faster than the rest of Canada. That trend will continue in 1994, as we will spend over $1 billion on capital projects for new ferries, schools, courthouses, roads, bridges and other government buildings. We will put people to work, and people will be earning decent wages, not minimum wages in fast-food industries. As I mentioned, we will also freeze taxes for three years. We will not have any increase in personal income taxes; there will be no increase in sales tax or fuel tax rates; there will be no increase in the corporation income or capital tax rates. I am also happy to say that there's no increase in Medical Services Plan premiums, no increase in average school or provincial rural tax or property tax levels and no increase in tobacco, hotel room, insurance premium or property transfer tax rates.
We have actually cut waste and duplication to reduce the debt. After adjusting for population and inflation,
[ Page 9673 ]
government spending in 1994-95 is cut by 1.3 percent. New measures to combat welfare fraud and improve accountability will save $20 million annually. Indeed, the 5 percent pay cut continues for the Premier and cabinet ministers, and the salary freeze for MLAs and public servants will continue. School district administrative costs have been capped, and there's no money for education salary increases, either. We have introduced provincewide collective bargaining for teachers, which will save taxpayers' money, and managers' salaries and benefits in the broader public sector are also to be reviewed.
We have eliminated four major government agencies: Government Air Services, the Round Table on the Environment and the Economy, the B.C. Energy Council and the B.C. Petroleum Corporation. All these are designed to save taxpayers millions of dollars.
This New Democrat government has taken other measures that will have a direct and positive impact on the many small towns and villages and the many small businesses in Yale-Lillooet. This budget will revitalize our forests and our forest industry. Included in this year's budget is $275 million for silviculture to ensure long-term viability of our timber supply. The small business forest enterprise program will receive an additional $31 million, for a grand total of $140 million in this year's budget. That will help increase access to timber supply for small logging firms and small manufacturers of value-added products.
The B.C. 21 fund has been maintained at $100 million. The $20 million community grants program is a portion of that. In the first round of this program, 82 grants were approved. I'm happy to say that the people of Yale-Lillooet received eight of those grants. I have already announced some; I will be announcing others in the near future. There is $69,000 available for the Uxwalmixw Centre Society in Lillooet, $100,000 for the corporation of the village of Cache Creek for a new fire hall, and $25,000 for the Hope and District Chamber of Commerce for a new ballpark they are building in the town of Hope. The Seton Valley volunteer fire department received $19,600 for a new fire hall they are constructing. The old age pensioners' organization in Princeton, which is working on their facility, has received $20,500. Other small grants have gone to School District 31 in Merritt for building playgrounds, and the Hope Association for Community Living received $5,000 for building a ramp for the Tillicum outreach workshop -- amazing.
All these good things are happening under the NDP government in this province, yet the Liberals keep complaining. The government is providing $18 million in tax breaks to the mining industry -- something that the right-wing coalition did not do when they were in power for 16 years. This will help to create jobs and improve competitiveness in B.C.'s mining industry.
People in my constituency said that we should increase the funds available for marketing tourism, and the Minister of Finance responded by making $5 million available for tourism marketing. It will be available throughout the regions of this province on a fifty-fifty cost-share basis with private enterprise.
[The Speaker in the chair.]
Interjection.
H. Lali: That's leadership, as the member for Nelson-Creston is saying.
There's $200 million of new money set aside for the next two years, including $90 million in this year's budget, for skills training for youth and for older workers who are willing to retrain and find other jobs within society. We will create 8,100 new full-time spaces in colleges and institutes to bring that into effect.
B.C. Focus, which had $87 million in its fund last year, will receive an additional $10 million. That venture capital is available for small businesses wishing to expand, and it's on a fifty-fifty basis, with the provincial government picking up 50 percent.
We have eliminated the corporation capital tax for family farm corporations. I see another of my rural friends across the way pounding on his desk in support of this.
Alison and David Chutter are constituents of mine, and they own a small ranch just outside of Merritt in the beautiful Nicola Valley. They've been working closely with me for the last year on the corporation capital tax and how it impacts on farms and ranches throughout my riding and in other parts of the province. I'm really glad that the government has moved on the corporation capital tax. Indeed, the Chutters in Merritt will be happy to hear that news.
This government has restored the auto trade-in allowance. Car retailers in my riding are telling me that this is good news for them, as they will be able to create more jobs and hire more people as they sell more cars.
The opposition Liberal Party is shameless in opposing this budget. Actually, they haven't really had anything to pick on. Everything they've said is cliche-ridden. It's nothing they haven't said in the past. It shows me that the Liberals and their new leader, the member for Vancouver-Quilchena, are out of touch with reality. They are out of touch not only with the people of B.C., but also with their constituents. Who do the Liberals really represent? They and their Liberal leader have clearly shown -- in their speeches in response to the throne speech and the budget -- that they represent the rich and powerful and the multinational corporations. This government represents the average working man and woman of this province.
The shameless Liberals have no courage. They will say and do anything to get re-elected, and that's a real shame. They want to eliminate collective bargaining for teachers, and their leader was saying that he wants to eliminate the corporation capital tax. The Leader of the Opposition hasn't got the foggiest idea of economics. He is saying that he wants to eliminate the corporation capital tax, and he is also on record as saying that he wants to eliminate the school tax from property. On the one side he's saying he wants to reduce taxes; on the other side he's saying he wants to balance the budget. He can't have it both ways, and I say to the Leader of the Opposition: come clean.
If he wants to reduce taxes and balance the budget, how is he going to do that? Is he going to cut services or programs? I would like to ask him which programs he would cut and how many billions of dollars he would cut in order to balance the budget right now. He is saying in his constituency and to the media that he would have balanced the budget this year. How many people would he have put out of work; how many services would he have cut? He has absolutely no understanding. And he has no understanding of what goes on in rural British Columbia, either.
The Liberal Party does not have a single member elected in the areas north and east of Hope. Every one of their members represent the urban and the suburban areas. Indeed, some of my constituents say to me that the Liberal Party is beyond hope. They are representing the developers; they are representing their rich and powerful friends. The Liberals have been bought and paid for by their rich friends.
[ Page 9674 ]
What are some of the independent financial experts saying? I'd like to quote from three sources that I have before me. These are not friends of the New Democratic Party -- indeed, they are right-wing-leaning. The Certified General Accountants' Association of B.C. says in its press release: "Finance minister Elizabeth Cull deserves credit for trying to move the B.C. budget in the right direction.... Her continued effort to reduce the deficit and limit overall spending growth are to be applauded."
I also have a quote here from Wood Gundy. They say:
"The positive aspects of a robust economy were clearly evident in the latest budget from the province of B.C.
"B.C. business and consumers can breathe a sigh of relief as Premier Mike Harcourt delivered on his promise of holding the line on taxation. The budget freezes taxes for three years and even provides a $112 million tax cut in the current fiscal year."
They go on to say:
"B.C. finds itself in the enviable position of strong economic growth and job creation, the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio of any of the provinces, the lowest debt-servicing-to-spending ratio of any of the provinces, and the highest credit rating. Last year, we took B.C. to task for defining spending restraint as lowering the growth rate of total government spending from 12 percent to 6 percent, which was well in excess of any other province. This year, they have cut spending growth once again, but this time around the restraint measures are more credible and are more in line with the other provincial budgets presented to date, particularly when adjusted for the province's rapid population growth. B.C. took pains to contrast their plans for achieving a balanced budget with Alberta's more radical fiscal surgery. The commitment to balancing the budget by 1996-97 by holding the line on taxation and further reducing the growth rate of spending to 2 percent is a positive development."
The final quote is from G.A. Pedersson and Associates Ltd. They've given the B.C. government a grade of B plus, and say:
"We are quite pleased with the budget. The government deserves credit for reducing the deficit to $898 million in 1994-95, making a commitment to balance the budget by 1996-97, resisting the temptation to spend the $200 million windfall in tax revenues last year, the willingness to take on government-funded employees by announcing an implicit three-year wage freeze, and continuing to make investments in education and social infrastructure. We agree with the general approach taken to curb expenditure growth.... The slash-and-burn approach of the Alberta government, advocated by some in the B.C. business community, reinforced by a host of implicit tax increases in the guise of fees, is not appropriate and in time will show as a failure in Alberta."
They also go on to say that unless the economy underperforms for some inexplicable reason, B.C. taxpayers can look forward to lower taxes, a balanced budget and high-quality education, health and government services in the years ahead, a position to be envied in this troubled confederation. They also go on to say in their summary that, overall, they are impressed by the budget. It fell short of what they would have liked, but it made moves in all the right directions:
"The budget has set the stage for the elimination of the deficit. And this may occur ahead of schedule. B.C.'s competitive position will benefit from the budget, and the business environment has been improved."
Finally they state:
"B.C. is on its way to having the lowest tax burden in Canada, the lowest debt and debt-servicing burden in Canada and the highest quality of public services in Canada. Right now B.C. is the place of choice to live in Canada; the reasons will become even more compelling in the future."
[11:45]
Hon. Speaker, in conclusion I would like to state that this is a good budget. The people in my constituency are telling me that it's a good budget and one that they can be proud of, because it puts working men and women before multinational corporations -- unlike the Liberals, who would like to slash all the taxes for the multinational corporations and also help their rich friends, on the backs of working people and the poor of this province.
This government listened and has made major cuts in the deficit. There will be increases in jobs. We have frozen taxes. We have listened to the people, and we've been able to do what we've done by protecting our social safety net.
I see that the Speaker has taken over from the Deputy Speaker. I would like to take this opportunity, hon. Speaker, to congratulate you on your election as the new Speaker of the House.
B. Jones: I ask leave to make an introduction.
Leave granted.
B. Jones: It's my pleasure today to introduce some wonderful new British Columbians from North Burnaby, a wonderful part of the province. We have 35 to 40 students from Alpha Secondary School, which I attended in North Burnaby some 40 years ago. That's a very long time ago in the history of this province. They are new immigrants to Canada, and they are ESL students who are studying our government and the history of this province. I would ask fellow members to make them very welcome.
G. Janssen: It's a pleasure to rise in the House and partake in the debate on a budget that has clearly been welcomed by British Columbians, if not by the rest of Canada. I suspect that in the rest of Canada there is a lot of envy over the tremendous success that British Columbia has enjoyed over the three years that this government has been in office. Like other British Columbians, I have been considering taking a holiday. But after seeing the beautiful weather we're enjoying here and after seeing the wonderful budget that was brought down last Tuesday, there's no reason to travel anywhere. We truly live in paradise right here in British Columbia.
This government has put B.C.'s financial house in order. We have reduced the budget this year by another $400 million. This brings to British Columbia a sense of confidence and stability that is the envy of every other province in Canada, if not every jurisdiction in North America. Businesses are flocking here. They want to open up businesses because they know this is a dynamic economy. The opposition will chastise this government. They say capital is leaving the province. Where is it going? Is it going to Alberta, Ontario or eastern Canada? Is it going to Mexico? No, it is coming to British Columbia. It is creating jobs, because this government is showing the way to reduce deficits, to lower debt and to say to the business community that this is a good place to invest.
We have said that the deficit will be eliminated by 1996-97. This will free up even more valuable revenue to put into infrastructure, which is desperately needed, so that business can go about creating jobs and wealth in this province that all British Columbians can benefit from. The province of Alberta, with its cut-and-slash approach that has eliminated literally thousands of jobs, is trying to repeat the disastrous example set by the Social Credit administration in
[ Page 9675 ]
1983 with its restraint program that worsened the recession, threw even more people out of work and reduced tax levels so that this province could not afford to continue building infrastructure.
This government is now faced with having to catch up around this province by rebuilding schools that have been sadly neglected and bridges that are literally falling down. When we build that infrastructure, the opposition says: "You're going too far." I would ask the opposition to go back to their ridings and say: "I know that you've been after a school, but in the interests of the deficit I've gone to the government and said no to that school, to new roads and to SkyTrain." No, they won't do that. They will go to their ridings and say that this government doesn't spend enough money, while they come to this House and say that this government spends too much money. That's absolute hypocrisy.
In Alberni we are proud of this government building a new campus of North Island College, which is going to open in September of this year, expanding the road system, building new bridges and paving the airport this year. Wolfgang Zimmermann, head of the Premier's Advisory Council for Persons with Disabilities, is managing the Disability Institute there -- the first of its kind in Canada. The downtown revitalization program is updating the storefronts and businesses in Alberni so we can continue to attract those businesses. There were 68 union jobs created by Coulson Forest Products in Port Alberni. The Nexgen project, the next generation of pulp mills in the expansion of Port Alberni, has invested $200 million, creating 30 new jobs and ensuring that we remain the world leaders in pulp industry technology. Rebco Wood Products, a value-added mill, has created 30 new jobs.
We in Alberni have gone through a difficult time. The Clayoquot compromise decision was a great controversy in this province, but this government knew that it was the right decision, and we stuck by it. Where was the opposition? At the time, the Liberal opposition said to send it to CORE. Now some of them are saying, "Don't you dare implement CORE," and some in the party are saying: "Implement CORE." Where is the Liberal opposition? They are not for British Columbians. They are not for jobs in this province, and they are not for the dynamic growth that is taking place here.
We recently signed for the first time in Alberni an interim measures agreement with the aboriginal peoples. That's another first in British Columbia; it's another indication that this government, rather than letting those old festering wounds continue, is pulling people together in this province. It is saying to people that we want to work with them and that the community, the workers, the companies, aboriginal peoples and government can make decisions, bring people together and show leadership.
The opposition stands and says: "You're spending too much money." They say no to pay equity and yes to tax cuts to the rich and wealthy. As a matter of fact -- and I don't know if this is still policy, because we don't know what the policy is -- at one time they were advocating a flat tax. That means that the rich and the poor pay the same. There would be a levelling out of taxes in this province. It's an idea that Margaret Thatcher tried to bring about; it went nowhere. And we can see the results of that in Britain today.
They say no to fair wages and yes to low bid, so that projects funded by taxpayers' dollars in this province can be done on the backs of workers. Well, that's not the way of this government. They're even saying no to local hire on the Island Highway project. They would have this government hire firms from Alberta -- using tax dollars generated right here in British Columbia and shipping them out by the truckload to families in Alberta, where cuts are being made and thousands are being thrown out of work by that government. We are saying we want local hire. We want people in their communities to have those jobs so that they can have the benefits and so the businesses in those communities can enjoy the fruits of those high wages.
This is a good budget, a budget that will lead Canada, a budget that in the following year will see more people go to work, will see more businesses be established and will see the business community, accountants and bond raters again say that this is the best budget and best government in Canada. We will continue to lead Canada out of the recession and into a bright and economic future.
Noting the time on the clock, I move adjournment of the debate.
Motion approved.
Hon. D. Marzari moved adjournment of the House.
Motion approved.
The House adjourned at 11:57 a.m.
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