Skip to main content

“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

TODD STONE -- The NDP’s record in helping businesses and people has been abysmal

 


As employment in B.C. declines for a second month, and with the private sector still down 61,000 jobs compared to pre-pandemic levels despite a population growth of 53,000 people, the B.C. Liberals are reiterating their call for John Horgan and the NDP to stop bumbling and put forward a strategic long-term rebuild plan.

Numbers released by Statistics Canada today show that B.C. lost another 1,900 jobs in May, on top of the 43,100 jobs lost in April. Despite the virtually unchanged unemployment rate of seven per cent, this was largely due to more people giving up their search for work, as indicated by the 10.5 per cent hidden unemployment rate. There are still 25,100 fewer British Columbians working today than in February 2020.

“The NDP needs to come up with a private sector jobs plan for long-term recovery, but instead they’ve botched programs and left sectors across the province flapping in the wind,” said Todd Stone, BC Liberal Critic for Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation.

“You can’t just cross your fingers and hope for the best. John Horgan’s lack of targeted support is leaving women and youth in particular to fend for themselves.”

In May, women lost 17,300 jobs and youth aged 15 to 24 lost 6,800 jobs. Young women continue to be hit the hardest with a staggering unemployment rate of 17.6 per cent. The overall youth unemployment stands at 15.1 percent.

“The NDP’s record in helping businesses and people has been abysmal, with B.C. ranked eighth in Canada for direct relief and grant programs for businesses. On a per capita basis, Ontario is spending $261 per person while B.C. is spending $110 per person,” added Stone.

Stone also highlighted that tourism-related businesses continue to suffer, with 53,000 jobs lost since February 2020, and he called on the NDP to immediately implement the remaining Tourism Task Force recommendations.

“John Horgan must act now to foster an inclusive recovery that leaves no one behind. Thousands of businesses have incurred debt and can’t march forward unless this government puts an economic rebuild plan on the table to restore confidence,” concluded Stone.

Comments

  1. garret seinenJune 6, 2021 at 9:33 AM

    Regrettably, I have yet to any honest criticism of the political insanity we have seen with respect of COVID, The economic lockdown that continues to take, to sap human effort at an unprecedent scale, that carries a generational cost far greater than the danger from the disease. Is anyone in public office brave enough to challenge what has been done?

    Silently we are lead to our slaughter. And yes, more words for deaf ears.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

BC cannot regulate, redesign, and reinterpret its way to a stable forestry sector. Communities need clear rules, predictable timelines, and accountability for results.

Photo credit:  Atli Resources LP   BC’s Forestry Crisis Continues with Closure of Beaver Cove Chip Facility   As industry leaders, Indigenous partners, and contractors gather this week at the BC Natural Resources Forum in Prince George, the gap between government rhetoric and reality could not be clearer. Just hours after the Eby government once again touted reconciliation, certainty, and economic opportunity under DRIPA, Atli Chip Ltd, a company wholly owned by the ’Na̱mg̱is First Nation, announced it is managing the orderly closure of its Beaver Cove chip facility. The closure comes despite public tax dollars, repeated government announcements, and assurances that new policy frameworks would stabilize forestry employment and create long-term opportunity in rural and coastal British Columbia. “British Columbians are being told one story, while communities are living another,” said Ward Stamer, Critic for Forests. “This closure makes it clear that announcement...
Post a Comment
Read more

Stamer: Hope for Forestry Completely Shattered After Another Provincial Review Driven by DRIPA

IMAGE CREDIT:  Provincial Forestry Advisory Council Conservative Critic for Forests Ward Stamer says the final report from the Provincial Forestry Advisory Council confirms the worst fears of forestry workers and communities; instead of addressing the real issues driving mill closures and job losses, the NDP has produced a report that ignores industry realities and doubles down on governance restructuring. Despite years of warnings from forestry workers, contractors, and industry organizations about permitting delays, regulatory costs, fibre access, and the failure of BC Timber Sales, the PFAC report offers no urgency, no timelines, and no concrete action to stop the ongoing decline of the sector. “ This report completely shatters any remaining hope that the government is serious about saving forestry ,” said Stamer.  “ We didn’t need another study to tell us what industry has been saying for years. While mills close and workers lose their livelihoods, the NDP is focused on re...
Post a Comment
Read more

FORSETH – My question is, ‘How do we decide who is blue enough to be called a Conservative?’

How do we decide who’s blue enough to be a Conservative? AS OF TODAY (Friday January 30 th ), there are now eight individuals who have put their names forward to lead the Conservative Party of British Columbia. Having been involved with BC’s Conservatives since 2010, and having seen MANY ups and downs, having 8 people say “I want to lead the party” is to me, an incredible turn-around from the past. Sadly, however, it seems that our party cannot seem to shake what I, and others, call a purity test of ‘what is a Conservative’. And that seems to have already come to the forefront of the campaign by a couple of candidates. Let me just say as a Conservative Party of BC member, and as someone active in the party, that frustrates me to no end. Conservatives, more than any other political philosophy or belief, at least to me, seems to have the widest and broadest spectrum of ideals.   For the most part, they are anchored by these central thoughts --- smaller and less intru...
1 comment
Read more

Labels

Show more