“I would have refused to be part of a sham process, and neither Gordon Campbell nor Gary Collins wanted anything like sham” ~~ Kevin Krueger
The Select Standing Committee on Finance and
Government Services is currently in the midst of budget consultations with
British Columbians, where we are invited to share ideas, and priorities, for
the upcoming provincial budget. Bob
D'Eith, MLA for Maple Ridge–Mission, is the Chair of the committee. At the session in Campbell River September 20th
he stated to those gathered:
“We are a committee of the Legislative Assembly, and our membership includes MLAs from all three parties in the Legislature. Every fall, we visit communities from across the province to meet with British Columbians and hear about their priorities and ideas for the next provincial budget.”
Those on the committee, representing all parties currently in the legislature, are:
“We are a committee of the Legislative Assembly, and our membership includes MLAs from all three parties in the Legislature. Every fall, we visit communities from across the province to meet with British Columbians and hear about their priorities and ideas for the next provincial budget.”
Those on the committee, representing all parties currently in the legislature, are:
Dan Ashton, MLA
representing the area of Penticton to Peachland
Stephanie Cadieux.
MLA for Surrey South
Peter Milobar, MLA
for Kamloops – North Thompson
Sonia Furstenau, MLA
for Cowichan Valley
Mitzi Dean, MLA for
Esquimalt - Metchosin
Ronna-Rae Leonard,
MLA Courtenay - Comox
Nicholas Simons, MLA
for Powell River – Sunshine Coast
John Twigg, a veteran journalist and communications consultant (perhaps best known for serving as press secretary to NDP leader Dave Barrett in the 1972 election campaign and then as BC’s first Press Secretary to Premier Barrett), spoke to the committee during it’s September 20th stop in Campbell River.
Twigg began by saying, “I've been watching this committee off and on for almost 50 years, and I've made one previous presentation, about 12 years ago. These pre-budget consultations are important. They help MLAs and governments to get a sense of what the priorities are for citizens and taxpayers.”
He then went on to list what he believed should be the top budget priorities for the government to consider, some of which he acknowledged had already been discussed:
Affordability for families, students, seniors, individuals and businesses, something he stated was also coming up as a common issue in the civic elections going on through-out the province … housing, of which he indicated there needed to be more, and new types of, social housing and incentives for new private sector housing, especially for seniors … the economy and the business climate, as they were key to more jobs and more government revenues.
“One of the most critical things that you can do is have a good budget, with an orientation toward strengthening the economy”, Twigg stated, before recommending that all on the panel should be seated for what he had to say next … his support of the Trans Mountain Pipeline … “That is so critical to the well-being of western Canada, and particularly for British Columbia. I cannot emphasize it enough: billions of dollars are at stake. Please.”
John Twigg, a veteran journalist and communications consultant (perhaps best known for serving as press secretary to NDP leader Dave Barrett in the 1972 election campaign and then as BC’s first Press Secretary to Premier Barrett), spoke to the committee during it’s September 20th stop in Campbell River.
Twigg began by saying, “I've been watching this committee off and on for almost 50 years, and I've made one previous presentation, about 12 years ago. These pre-budget consultations are important. They help MLAs and governments to get a sense of what the priorities are for citizens and taxpayers.”
He then went on to list what he believed should be the top budget priorities for the government to consider, some of which he acknowledged had already been discussed:
Affordability for families, students, seniors, individuals and businesses, something he stated was also coming up as a common issue in the civic elections going on through-out the province … housing, of which he indicated there needed to be more, and new types of, social housing and incentives for new private sector housing, especially for seniors … the economy and the business climate, as they were key to more jobs and more government revenues.
“One of the most critical things that you can do is have a good budget, with an orientation toward strengthening the economy”, Twigg stated, before recommending that all on the panel should be seated for what he had to say next … his support of the Trans Mountain Pipeline … “That is so critical to the well-being of western Canada, and particularly for British Columbia. I cannot emphasize it enough: billions of dollars are at stake. Please.”
For a little over a week now, people in BC have
had the opportunity to share their ideas and priorities for the province’s next
budget, and sessions will be continuing over the next two weeks as well. Communities still to be visited are Cranbrook and Trail on today (Sept. 25) … Nelson and my
own community of Kamloops tomorrow (Sept 26th) … Kelowna on the following
day … Esquimalt Oct. 9th … Mission on the 10th … and then
the final session being held in Surrey on October 11th.
 |
| Kevin Krueger - former Kamloops South Thompson MLA and Cabinet Minister |
Former MLA and Cabinet Minister (1996 until
he retired prior to the May 2013 election) Kevin Krueger discussed the process,
and its beginnings, with me this past Saturday:
“We began these consultations shortly after we were elected to government in 2001, and we would listen to those who had registered to present.”
Krueger, recalling those days, and what they meant to him and his colleagues, continued:
“We began these consultations shortly after we were elected to government in 2001, and we would listen to those who had registered to present.”
Krueger, recalling those days, and what they meant to him and his colleagues, continued:
“I would have refused to be part of a sham process, and
neither (Premier) Gordon Campbell nor (Finance Minister) Gary Collins wanted
anything like sham.”
“That was my attitude, and of my BC Liberal colleagues”, he concluded.
The all-party Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services has invited people to not only participate at sessions through-out the province, but also by completing an online survey, which can be found at https://consultations.leg.bc.ca/Submission/Create?cons=Budget2019
NDP Premier John Horgan’s government says the upcoming Budget 2019 consultation paper will help government better understand the priorities of British Columbians, as it asks people to share their views on how government can best support a diverse and sustainable economy, and maintain a balanced budget that invests in the people.
Words perhaps reflected by John Twigg as well when he said, “BC needs better prosperity for everyone”, before thanking the committee for the work they were doing.
These consultations, continuing over the next two weeks, are hopefully as important now, as when they first began over a decade and a half ago. I say this because when asked about how much impact the consultations had, on decisions to be made by government during his time in the legislature, Kevin Krueger responded saying:
“We were then genuinely interested in the public’s ideas and desires, and our recommendations were received willingly for the process.”
Hopefully the same holds true today.
In Kamloops, I’m Alan Forseth, and I hope you’ll join the discussion on this, or any other topic presented here. Do you agree … disagree? Post your thoughts in the Comment Section directly below.
“That was my attitude, and of my BC Liberal colleagues”, he concluded.
The all-party Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services has invited people to not only participate at sessions through-out the province, but also by completing an online survey, which can be found at https://consultations.leg.bc.ca/Submission/Create?cons=Budget2019
NDP Premier John Horgan’s government says the upcoming Budget 2019 consultation paper will help government better understand the priorities of British Columbians, as it asks people to share their views on how government can best support a diverse and sustainable economy, and maintain a balanced budget that invests in the people.
Words perhaps reflected by John Twigg as well when he said, “BC needs better prosperity for everyone”, before thanking the committee for the work they were doing.
These consultations, continuing over the next two weeks, are hopefully as important now, as when they first began over a decade and a half ago. I say this because when asked about how much impact the consultations had, on decisions to be made by government during his time in the legislature, Kevin Krueger responded saying:
“We were then genuinely interested in the public’s ideas and desires, and our recommendations were received willingly for the process.”
Hopefully the same holds true today.
In Kamloops, I’m Alan Forseth, and I hope you’ll join the discussion on this, or any other topic presented here. Do you agree … disagree? Post your thoughts in the Comment Section directly below.
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