The fourth session of B.C.'s 38th parliament kicked off on Tuesday with a throne speech heavy on green initiatives but lacking in substance, said Powell River-Sunshine Coast MLA Nicholas Simons.
"My responsibility is to hold [the provincial Liberal government] to what I believe they meant," said Simons. "It's partly what's not in the speech that we have to focus on. Issues we [the NDP] are going to raise include agriculture, IPPs [independent power producers] and a sustainable forest plan. And we'll be distracted by the B.C. Rail corruption scandal, which the media may choose to focus on," referring to the upcoming trials of former B.C. Liberal ministerial aides David Basi and Bob Virk on fraud and breach of trust charges related to the privatization of the rail line.
The speech, delivered by new lieutenant-governor Steven Point, outlined the new LiveSmart B.C. strategy (which promises to have all new provincial buildings constructed to LEED Gold standard) will seek to pass legislation including B.C. in the Western Climate Initiative carbon cap and trade system and creates a variety of new programs and campaigns to encourage taxpayers to make "carbon-smart lifestyle choices."
Simons will be holding on to his role as the opposition critic for the Ministry of Children and Families and said the speech didn't change the fact that families still aren't getting the money they need to raise children. "There are many excellent reports about the importance of provincial support for families," he said. "Twenty-one per cent of kids in B.C. are still living in poverty - how does this government reconcile that?" He criticized the government's pledge to "work with First Nations and the federal government" to put Jordan's Principle into action.
The principle calls for jurisdictional disputes between two levels of government over services to First Nations children to be settled only after the care of the child has been assured. It's named for a First Nations boy who died after spending two years in a Winnipeg hospital, waiting to be returned to his family in northern Manitoba while the provincial and federal government debated the costs involved.
"The province should adopt this behaviour immediately," said Simons. "In referring to negotiations with the federal government on this, the premier misses the point."
The provincial push for IPPs on B.C. rivers troubles Simons, who says it's important to examine the impact the new power lines could have on wildlife. He's also critical of government plans to scale up reforestation efforts in B.C. - "It's like the arsonist showing up at a fire with a bucket of water," he said, adding these efforts mask the fact that forests are being harvested rapidly in B.C.'s Interior. He cited logging in the Chapman Creek watershed last summer as the example of government action versus talk.
"How can government talk about protecting water yet allow what happened in our drinking watershed?" he said. "It was their legislation [that] allowed Western Forest Products to go in where a Joint Management Accord exists, and their legislation that allowed Columbia National Investments to clearcut, cause harm, then leave."
Simons said rural communities have demanded ways to improve pedestrian safety on roads, and the Coast is no exception."We need better crosswalks where we know there's safety issues. There hasn't even been a reduction in the speed limit near the Poplars," he said, referring to the stretch of Highway 101 in Elphinstone that saw three serious accidents in recent years, including the death of a 12-year-old girl in early 2007.
Despite his misgivings, Simons said he'll put partisan politics aside to work with government on legislation he agrees with."If they do things right, I'll be prepared to offer my assistance," he said.
