Lieutenant-Governor Judith Guichon opened the second session of the 40th Parliament with a throne speech that promised a substantial legislative session ahead for Premier Christy Clark’s government.
Here are five promises that Guichon made in the speech from the throne.
1. An LNG Framework
The provincial government has spoken at length about the need to develop B.C.’s LNG sector to export natural gas to China and other developing markets in Asia.
But to date, there has been no legislation to guide the process.
They promise that will change in the upcoming year.
Hailing the agreements made for LNG plants with Aurora and Woodside, the government promised to “lay out an overall framework for LNG that includes taxation, environmental actions to help make B.C.’s LNG industry the cleanest in the world, and First Nations benefits.”
2. Apology to Chinese community
While the government made a formal apology in 2008 for the Komagata Maru Incident, in which hundreds of South Asians were turned away from B.C., they promise to make a broader community to Chinese immigrants.
“In this session, this government will introduce a motion to formally apologize for the historical wrongs done to the Chinese community,” Guichon said.
“We cannot undo these wrongs. But we have to acknowledge them, confront them, and learn from them.”
3. A 10-year skills plan
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Citing the need to fill over a million job openings over the next decade, the government promised a new plan for job training.
“This spring, your government will seek to connect British Columbians with opportunities through a 10-year-skills training action plan for youth and older workers seeking to retrain,” said Guichon.
4. A 10-year transportation plan, too
While the provincial government and Metro Vancouver politicians continue to debate over a transit referendum for the region, Guichon promised “a new 10 year transportation plan that will identify the areas of greatest need for investment as we move into the next decade.”
5. Previously announced initiatives
The government cited many reforms and initiatives they plan to bring to the legislature in this setting, but many of them have already been previously announced, including modernizing B.C.’s liquor laws and a new Water Sustainability Act.
Speaking with reporters after the speech, Premier Christy Clark also announced that a report on the Burns Lake sawmill explosion will be released later this week. And Clark conceded that “some elements” of creating an infrastructure for LNG have taken longer than they would like, but is still very confident in the industry setting hold in B.C.
“We are working very closely with the investors involved in it. We’re not getting ourselves behind, we are doing everything to stay ahead in the race. Every day I get more confident in the likelihood of an LNG industry created.”
But there was one thing that wasn’t promised in the speech…
1. New spending programs
One thing that was absent from Guichon’s speech was tangible spending promises for the future.
“Considering how razor thin the government’s surplus is, it’s not surprising there were no new, immediate spending plans outlined in the Throne Speech,” says Global News legislative chief Keith Baldrey.
“The speech repeats the mantra the B.C. Liberals have been chanting for months: grow the economy in order to better fund programs, and a balanced budget is the top priority.”
Baldrey also took note of the line to “re-engineer” secondary and post-secondary institutions for proper skills training.
“Perhaps this means ending no-strings-attached funding to some institutions. Premier Clark has made references before that we train too many teachers for example, and not enough other careers that are more urgently required,” he said.
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