Governments
probably wish they could write Throne Speeches with disappearing
ink. Although they are read by the Lieutenant Governor,
they are written in the Premier's Office. They frequently
contain many vague promises such that commentators have
to resort to saying that it will be necessary to see the
legislation and the budget in order to understand the real
direction of government.
Last
year's Throne Speech provided sufficient details on changes
to forestry so that anyone who goes back and reads the speech
today knows that the government failed to deliver. It
is true that the Forest Practices Code was changed as far
as the Act goes, but we are still waiting to see the all
important regulations. Will the 2003 promises of forestry
reform be any different?
The
Throne Speech delivered on February 11, 2003, said that
"No issue will dominate this Session's legislative
agenda like the reforms aimed at revitalizing B.C.'s forest
industry." Maybe "reforms" will be pushed
through the legislature this year, if so, resource dependent
communities have reason to worry. The speech warned "These
measures will not be easy, painless or welcomed by all.
Restructuring of this magnitude simply cannot be made without
some short-term dislocation." "Short-term
dislocation" is likely code for even more job loss.
Nothing was said about steps to mitigate the suffering that
will accompany "short-term dislocation".
A
year ago the Throne Speech said that "My government
has a solid plan to turn our provincial economy around."
A year later BC has had five months of declining employment
and even the government's own "progress board"
ranked it dead last. Like a troubled leader in denial, the
2003 Throne Speech refused to recognize failed policies.
It simply said "Significant change is needed to make
our economy more competitive and to build a stronger foundation
for prosperity for every family, in every region of our
province." We have gone from a plan to the need for
"significant change". Is that a way of saying
that the tax cuts aren't doing the trick?
Last
year's speech included only one sentence on aquaculture,
but that sentence takes on particular importance in view
of recent scandals since it said "My government is
also acting to facilitate investment and job creation in
the salmon aquaculture industry. Recent changes will ensure
that this sector is enhanced, with the toughest environmental
protection framework in the world." The resignation
of a Minister under investigation, receipt of campaign donations
from the industry by the new minister, and an apparent cave
in to the industry with inadequate measures to protect the
wild pink salmon in the Broughton Archipelago, show that
the promise of tough environmental standards was broken.
This year's speech failed to apologize and did not have
a single word to say about aquaculture except in relation
to agreements with First Nations.
The
2003 Throne Speech used the word "new" 117 times
- that is more often than Premier Campbell says "moving
forward". In reality there was little new in the
speech. We learned that offloading drug costs onto sick
seniors will proceed. We learned that government wants to
have a thriving offshore oil industry by 2010. We heard
the term "Heartlands Economic Strategy" when we
should have heard program details for dealing with painful
adjustment to changes in forestry. Government once again
said that it wants to double tourism by 2010. It put forward
no plan, and it said nothing about the resources that will
be needed. That may be the best way to summarize the Throne
Speech - high hopes, no plan, no resources and no apologies.
Throne
Speeches from the Campbell government:
February 11, 2003 http://www.legis.gov.bc.ca/37th4th/4-8-37-4.htm
February 12, 2002 http://www.legis.gov.bc.ca/37th3rd/4-8-37-3.htm
July 24, 2001 http://www.legis.gov.bc.ca/37th2nd/4-8-37-2.htm
June 19, 2001 http://www.legis.gov.bc.ca/37th1st/4-8-37-1.htm
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