Vaughn Palmer Breaks Down BC Speech from the Throne: Big Promises, Short on Details
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Opinion: A revised housing strategy will not be available until the autumn, leaving little time until it becomes effective before the election
Deputy Premier Mike Farnworth, acting for Premier David Eby, who is in Ottawa for the first ministerial meeting, welcomes Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin on the steps of the Legislature prior to the Queen’s Speech in Victoria, BC on Monday February 6, 2023. Photo by CHAD HIPOLITO /THE CANADIAN PRESS
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VICTORIA – One didn’t have to read too far into David Eby’s government’s first speech from the throne to discover that the new prime minister feels he’s inherited a mess.
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“Food prices are going up. It’s hard to find a doctor. BC people are working harder than ever… But many feel like they’re just getting by, not moving forward.”
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And that was just the end of the second page.
It later said, “Finding a decent place to call home is a challenge right now.”
This: “Communities in BC are seeing our roads changing for the worse.”
And this: “We’ve seen an increase in violent crime and repeat offenders… what’s happening now isn’t working for anyone and your government is determined to change.”
The Speech from the Throne, drafted in the Prime Minister’s Office and delivered on Monday by a dutiful Lt. gov. Janet Austin, there were no shortage of apologies for this sad state of affairs.
The Pandemic. Global Economic Forces. predatory investors. money launderer. climate change. And inevitably, the previous BC Liberal government was all named and blamed.
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There was also the ritual recognition of the achievements of the NDP government, including some well-established actions from the first term, now five years away.
Did you know the New Democrats got rid of bridge tolls? Dang mainstream media covered it up.
Still, the impression could not be shattered that the Eby government sees itself as a revival of an NDP government that had lost its sense of mission and began to drift during John Horgan’s long departure from the Prime Minister’s office.
The opposition took advantage of this trend during the autumn session. The Liberals highlighted the shortage of GPs, rising house prices, the rising cost of living and the street-level damage being wrought by a “catch and release” policy on repeat offenders and violent offenders.
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Eby himself acknowledged the damage done when he made affordable housing, access to healthcare, safer roads and lowering the cost of living his government’s top priorities.
He says he has a maximum of 18 months to show results for people to see, touch and experience in their lives ahead of provincial elections scheduled for October 2024.
But the Speech from the Throne, even more vague than usual, didn’t offer many clues as to when and where those tangible results might manifest.
The biggest single point, highlighted by Eby himself in a press conference on Sunday, was the promise of a “renewed housing strategy”.
Urgently needed.
The NDP’s 30-point housing strategy, announced five years ago this month, has led to a record fall in housing affordability and a record rise in rental costs.
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The strategy has been top-heavy with demand-side measures – tax hikes, stricter regulations and protections for tenants.
Little has been done to address what Eby sees as the main challenge, namely increasing the supply of market housing, particularly for middle-income earners.
Hence the redesign. But regardless of the new prime minister’s sense of urgency, the revised strategy won’t be ready for the public until the legislature resumes after next Thanksgiving.
“In the fall session – after working with local governments, home builders and communities – new legislation will be introduced to transform this strategy into new affordable homes,” the Throne Speech said. “More apartments for middle-class families – instead of profit for speculators. More homes for seniors. More homes and support for those most in need.”
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Even with the fastest implementation timeline, it’s hard to imagine that the new strategy will deliver many units before Eby finds itself in the clutches of the 2024 election cycle.
The speech from the throne promised further legislative changes, some of which would be introduced at the spring session ending May 11.
There will be action to “shed light on the gender pay gap. Take action against gangs and money laundering. Take action against the malicious and exploitative non-consensual sharing of intimate images. …Ensure polluters pay for the environmental clean-up costs of abandoned sites.” And “Improve access to EV charging stations in condominiums.”
The New Democrats are working on “a new model of addiction care … with an expansion of treatment and recovery services so more people have access to care.”
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Coincidentally, the BC Liberals pledged a similar focus on treatment and recovery in their $1.5 billion mental health and addiction program announced last week.
Either the Liberals guessed where the government was headed, or the New Democrats decided the Liberals were up to something and followed suit.
Other points in the speech reflected the NDP’s penchant for programs disguised as slogans (or vice versa) and government-occupied centers for this and that.
So there is the promise of a “future-ready” skills program, a “commodity management strategy” and a “centre of excellence” dedicated to the latest fad in investing – ESG (environmental, social and governance) standards.
The government will resume foreign trade missions, which have been disrupted by the pandemic and not entirely unfounded fears that members of the provincial delegation could be taken hostage if China were involved.
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All in all, the Speech from the Throne stayed in line with Eby’s priorities.
But in the absence of many details, none of the promised measures are likely to affect the government’s political fortunes in one way or another.
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