Budget 2012 lays a firm foundation for the future, putting British Columbia on the right path to eliminate the deficit, protect public services, and build a more competitive economy that attracts jobs and investment, announced Finance Minister Kevin Falcon.

Budget 2012 shows the deficit forecast for 2011-12 improved by $594 million over second Quarterly Report projections to $2.5 billion. The Province forecasts a deficit of $968 million in 2012-13, and surpluses of $154 million in 2013-14 and $250 million in 2014-15.

Over the next three years, government will contain spending growth to an annual average of two per cent while continuing to protect health and education funding. The Ministry of Health budget will increase $1.5 billion over the three-year fiscal plan to nearly $17.3 billion in 2014-15. While continuing to achieve key health outcomes that lead the country, government will work to reduce the rate of growth in health spending through an ongoing focus on identifying additional best practices for delivering care and finding administrative savings.

Funding to school districts will increase, despite a trend of declining enrolment. In addition to the $4.7 billion a year districts will receive for the next three years, government is investing an additional $165 million to establish a fund to deal directly with issues of class composition. The annual facilities grant for maintenance again totals $110 million in 2012-13.

Government remains committed to funding critical social services and is reallocating contingency funds to the ministries of justice and social development, where caseloads continue to rise.

Budget 2012 introduces new tax measures that benefit seniors, families and businesses in B.C., including:

• The B.C. First-Time New Home Buyers’ Bonus of up to $10,000.
• The B.C. Seniors’ Home Renovation Tax Credit of up to $1,000.
• The Children’s Fitness Credit and the Children’s Arts Credit.

Budget 2012 also supports the B.C. Jobs Plan with tax measures for businesses that:

• Eliminate the provincial jet fuel tax for international flights.
• Provide an additional $3 million for the Small Business Venture Capital Program.
• Extend the Training Tax Credit program.
• Introduce new training tax credits for shipbuilding and ship repair industry employers.
• Make permanent the existing temporary municipal tax rate caps for B.C.’s major port terminals.

Given the uncertain fiscal environment, the small business corporate tax rate will be maintained at 2.5 per cent, and will be revisited after the fiscal situation has improved. The fiscal plan also includes a temporary, one-point increase in the general corporate income tax rate to 11 per cent, effective April 1, 2014. The requirement to implement this tax measure will be re-evaluated in next year’s budget. Additionally, to help spur economic activity throughout the province and generate needed revenue, government will release non-strategic surplus assets for sale.

Over the next year, the government will undertake a comprehensive review of the revenue-neutral carbon tax. The review will cover all aspects of the carbon tax—both positive and negative—including revenue neutrality, and it will consider the impact on the competitiveness of B.C. businesses, and in particular B.C. food producers.

Budget 2012 forecasts British Columbia’s taxpayer-supported debt-to-GDP ratio will be 17.6 per cent in 2012-13, 18.2 per cent in 2013-14, and peak at 18.3 per cent in 2014-15, before trending downward once again. Taxpayer-supported capital spending on schools, hospitals and other infrastructure across the province over the next three years is expected to total $10.7 billion.

The government forecasts British Columbia’s economy will grow by 1.8 per cent in 2012, 2.2 per cent in 2013 and 2.5 per cent per cent in 2014 – a forecast that is prudent relative to the independent British Columbia Economic Forecast Council.

For more information on Budget 2012:

http://www.bcbudget.gov.bc.ca/2012/highlights/2012_Highlights.pdf

New housing transition measures give certainty to an important economic sector and help to keep taxes equitable throughout the transition as the province returns to the PST, Finance Minister Kevin Falcon announced.

B.C. will return to the PST on April 1, 2013, meeting the Province's commitment to return to the PST as quickly and responsibly as possible, while ensuring businesses can plan their training and systems switch-over effectively to apply the sales tax correctly.

Government is announcing new relief measures that will benefit purchasers and builders of new homes. The B.C. new housing rebate threshold will be increased to $850,000, effective April 1, 2012, meaning more than 90 per cent of newly built homes will now be eligible for a provincial HST rebate of up to $42,500. It is important to note that the HST does not apply to resale housing.

In addition, to help support workers and communities in B.C. that depend on residential recreational development, purchasers of new secondary vacation or recreational homes outside the Greater Vancouver and Capital regional districts priced up to $850,000 will now be eligible to claim a provincial grant of up to $42,500 effective April 1, 2012.

The housing transition rules help ensure when people buy a newly constructed home under the PST, whether built entirely under the HST, entirely under the PST, or partly under HST and partly under the PST, they will all pay a consistent and equitable amount of tax.

Specifically:

• B.C.'s portion of the HST will continue to apply before April 1, 2013. Purchasers will be eligible for the new higher B.C. HST new housing rebate, of up to $42,500, and builders will continue to claim input tax credits.
• B.C.'s portion of the HST will no longer apply to newly built homes where construction begins on or after April 1, 2013. Builders will once again pay seven per cent PST on their building materials. On average, about two per cent of the home's final price will again be embedded PST.
• For newly built homes where construction begins before April 1, 2013, but ownership and possession occur after, purchasers will not pay the seven per cent provincial portion of the HST. Instead, purchasers will pay a temporary, transitional provincial tax of two per cent on the full house price. This ensures equitable treatment among purchasers and will help mitigate distortive market behaviour. Builders will receive temporary housing transition rebates to offset PST on materials to help prevent double-taxation on homebuyers.

The transition rules outlined will provide certainty for new-home construction and sales, particularly during the transition period.

For goods and services that will be subject to PST, PST will generally apply where tax becomes payable on or after April 1, 2013. Detailed general transitional rules for goods and services will be available with the full PST legislation introduced in the legislature this spring.

The provincial changes are subject to the approval of the legislature.

Quick Facts:

• Raising the B.C. HST rebate threshold to $850,000 is expected to save purchasers about $60 million in 2012-13. The maximum value rises to $42,500 from $26,250, a 60 per cent increase.
• More than 90 per cent of newly built homes sold in B.C. are below the new higher rebate threshold.
• Average amount of embedded sales tax in newly built homes under PST: two per cent.
• Tax paid by purchasers on an $850,000-newly built home after HST rebate: two per cent.
• Tax rate on a newly built home during transition: two per cent.
• The temporary housing transition measures will be in place for two years, until March 31, 2015. The tax only applies to homes where construction begins before the transition date and ownership and possession occur after.
• The temporary housing transition tax and the temporary housing transition rebates will be administered by the Canada Revenue Agency on behalf of B.C. The Province is administering the grant for new secondary vacation and recreational homes.

Polls put new leader in premier's chair but promises will require huge chunk of revenue.

By Michael Smyth, The Province

Sorry to be an NDP buzz-kill, but now that Adrian Dix has been anointed by pollsters as the public's top choice for premier, it's time for a little reality check.

So let's dig into the recent archives to see just what Dix and his party have promised and demanded so far, how much it would cost and how the heck they'd pay for it:

HEALTH CARE: "[The NDP] would be looking to be among the highest in Canada in terms of per-capita support for health care," Dix has said. "That would be a high priority for us."

A high priority, and a pricey one. Estimated annual cost, according to B.C. Stats: $4.15 billion.

EDUCATION: Dix has been cautious when commenting on the teachers' union and their astronomical contract demands, but he's generally supportive of their position. Teachers and their supporters "are not asking for much," he told the NDP convention in December.

The teachers estimate their demands at $565 million, while the government calculates it at $1.3 billion. So let's be generous and take the teachers' number.

Estimated cost: $565 million. CHILD CARE: "I am committed to expand child care, to initiate a provincial child-care system and to pressure Ottawa to play a major role in such a system," Dix said during his leadership bid.

Good luck trying to convince Prime Minister Stephen Harper to go along with that one! B.C. would be on our own.

Estimated cost: The mind boggles. But consider Quebec's child-care program costs $2.1 billion a year, more than double what B.C. spends on earlylearning and child-development programs.

ANTI-POVERTY STRATEGY: Reducing the growing gap between rich and poor is a top priority for Dix, but how would he do that and what would it cost?

The New Democrats have repeatedly called for an "anti-poverty strategy" that NDP MLA Nicholas Simons said could include higher welfare rates and "massive infrastructure spending on affordable housing."

Estimated cost : $2 billion, according to Simons.

ADVANCED EDUCATION: Dix promised last week to restore non-repayable student grants cut by the Liberals. During his campaign for the NDP leadership, he also promised to cut interest payments on unpaid student loans.

Estimated cost: $148 million. EVERYTHING ELSE: I didn't have room for increased spending on legal aid, and sports community and cultural grants, and infrastructure spending, and raises for all the public- sector unions already drooling at the thought of a Dix government.

How would he pay for it all? So far Dix has promised to raises taxes on banks and corporations. But now that he's the top choice for the top job, the pressure will build for a fuller explanation.

msmyth@theprovince.com twitter.com/MikeSmythNews

The ever beaming, upbeat Premier Christy Clark is the perfect foil for some jaded, cynical journalists. Every pronouncement earns their opprobrium, each sentence scrutinized for spin.

To be sure, it is the job of the fourth estate to serve as a public watchdog, expose wrongdoing and condemn corruption. But on those rare occasions when politicians deliver on a campaign promise, hit the right policy note, or give substance to a slogan, their accomplishments should be acknowledged.

Some scribes ridiculed Clark's "family-first" agenda as empty rhetoric, but she put meat on the bones by raising the minimum wage, scaling back BC Hydro rate increases and vigorously pursuing a jobs action plan.

Recognizing the obvious fact that households in which one or more members are employed are far less likely to face poverty than where no one is working, Clark has made creating and retaining jobs a top priority.

Two weeks ago, Clark was in Prince George to attend the B.C. Natural Resources Forum, where she announced that an expansion of the Huckleberry copper/molybdenum mine near Smithers had received a permit to proceed, which will extend the mine's life to 2021. It had been scheduled to shut down in 2014.

Sure enough, many in the media dismissed the event as a "re-announcement" and said Clark was simply "touting" the project to earn political points.

But Clark explained the significance of maintaining 230 jobs at the mine for the next nine years, and the creation of 70 jobs, in terms that working people can relate to.

"It's important to translate it to your own personal circumstances, to put yourself in someone else's shoes and think about if you went home tonight and if you've been worried about whether or not you were going to have a job in a year or two and you were able to say to your husband or your wife or your kids, 'Guess what, sweetheart, I have a great-paying job for another nine years,'" Clark said, according to local news reports. "That's the difference that an announcement like this makes."

Over the life of the mine, Huckleberry Mines will pay $254.4 million in wages and benefits. Do the math and you can see these indeed are well-paid jobs.

Clark hopes to maintain the job-creation momentum with a commitment to open eight new mines by 2015. In order to achieve that, the government has introduced incentives, including a 20-per-cent refundable tax credit for exploration, and a mine allowance that will give companies that start or expand production before 2016 a 133-per-cent deduction on start-up costs. She has also pledged to dramatically reduce a large backlog of applications for permits related to mines and other natural resource development projects by beefing up the bureaucracy.

The B.C. Jobs Plan is about more than mining. It involves investment in upgrading the Deltaport container terminal, including the rail link near the Tsawwassen ferry terminal, part of a $200-million development, as well as an expansion of the Ridley Island bulk commodity port at Prince Rupert. Then there's the ambitious plan to have a liquefied natural gas plant operating by 2015 and three up and running by 2020.

The premier seems to understand that job creation flows from economic growth and investment, improving productivity and expanding markets for B.C.'s goods and services. She has also recognized that reasonable regulation, low taxes and fiscal prudence are an important part of any job-creation plan.

Her government has noted the critical role small business plays in job creation and retention, and we trust it will take further measures to eliminate bureaucratic obstacles for entrepreneurs.

It is encouraging to see Clark's discipline in keeping her eye on the economy and sticking to her jobs plan. She will need that focus to successfully steer B.C. through the current cycle of global sluggishness. Jobs and incomes are key to a families-first agenda. The premier gets it.

Source: Vancouver Sun,  January 28, 2012

Voice of Bc _ Premier's Point of View from Voice of BC on Vimeo.

Voice of Bc _ Premier's Point of View from Voice of BC on Vimeo.

The Province's smoking cessation program, which launched on Sept. 30, 2011 supports British Columbians who wish to quit smoking and is accessed by calling and registering with HealthLink BC. Once each calendar year, B.C. residents registered with the Medical Services Plan can receive PharmaCare coverage of a single continuous course of treatment of a prescription smoking cessation drug or a free 12-week supply of a Nicotine Replacement Therapy product.

To date, 12,706 people have chosen to use a prescription drug through their physician and 21,072 people have registered with HealthLink BC and filled an order for nicotine gum or patch. So far, this participation represents a government investment of more than $3 million. Seventy-nine per cent of new registrants have chosen to pick up their prescription at a pharmacy rather than have the NRT mailed directly to their home. And 49 per cent of people who registered with the program in its first three weeks of operation have now placed a refill order.

After contacting 8-1-1 to register for the program, all registrants are encouraged to contact QuitNow Services for further support in quitting. QuitNow has received 5,082 new web, text and telephone registrants since the program began. Many British Columbians will be thinking about quitting as the New Year approaches. People planning to use NRTs through the program are encouraged to plan ahead to allow adequate time to obtain their supply before Jan. 1, 2012.

As part of the smoking cessation program, British Columbians have access to NRTs in the form of patches or gum. These over-the-counter medications contain nicotine and work to reduce withdrawal symptoms as they act as a substitute for the nicotine smokers would get through smoking. British Columbians do not need a prescription for NRTs.

As well, PharmaCare covers the prescription drugs varenicline (Champix) and bupropion (Zyban). These drugs do not contain nicotine, but work on the brain to manage withdrawal symptoms and cravings and reduce the urge to smoke. When a smoker is seeing their doctor for another medical reason, they can enquire about a prescription for these drugs. They must also be covered by the PharmaCare program. The level of coverage depends on a person's PharmaCare plan.

"The response to this program continues to be phenomenal, with a steady stream of smokers contacting HealthLink BC over the past seven weeks. The effects of tobacco use place a significant strain on the health of smokers and their families as well as on B.C.'s health-care system through an increased incidence of respiratory illness, heart disease and cancer," said Minister of Health Michael de Jong.

* The health benefits of quitting smoking occur very quickly:
* After 20 minutes, blood pressure and pulse rate decrease.
* After eight hours, carbon monoxide levels drop and the oxygen level in
the blood increases to normal.
* After one day, the likelihood of a heart attack decreases.
* After two days, sense of smell and taste begin to improve.
* After two weeks, circulation and lung function improve.
* After six months, coughing, sinus congestion, tiredness and shortness of
breath is reduced
* After one year, risk of smoking-related heart attack is cut in half.
* Approximately 550,000 British Columbians smoke.
* An estimated 70 per cent of smokers in B.C. want to quit.

Learn More:

For more information on quitting and how to plan a please visit:
www.health.gov.bc.ca/pharmacare/stop-smoking/
or www.quitnow.ca

For more information on the PharmaCare program, please visit:
http://www.health.gov.bc.ca/pharmacare/

Getting the most value for money will be easier for local governments now that the Province is introducing legislation to establish an Office of the Auditor General for Local Government (AGLG), announced Premier Christy Clark today.

"This office will support the goals of the Families First Agenda by strengthening local government accountability and ensuring B.C. families receive the best possible return on investment for their taxpayer dollars," said Premier Clark. "Enhanced stewardship of assets and service delivery means a better quality of life for British Columbians and that's what we're aiming for."

The primary purpose of the AGLG would be to help local governments find efficiencies in spending and improve program effectiveness by providing neutral, non-binding advice. The AGLG's role has been designed to maximize value for money by undertaking performance audits and providing information to assist local governments in choosing how best to respond to their communities' priorities.

Like all auditors general, the AGLG would make recommendations for improvements, not impose solutions. It will be up to local governments to decide what action to take on any recommendations provided by the AGLG. Local governments' ability to make policy decisions about taxation, land use and other services would not be restricted.

"This government is committed to being open, and the Auditor General for Local Government would provide British Columbians with the opportunity to access audit reports about the value they are getting for their money," said Ida Chong, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development. "The same reports would give local governments important information about how to streamline processes and identify the most efficient use of public funds, maximizing the use of taxpayer dollars."

BACKGROUNDER

Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development
Mandate of the Auditor General for Local Government
Auditor General for Local Government:

The Auditor General for Local Government Act (the Act), provides that the Auditor General for Local Government's (AGLG) core mandate is to:

* Conduct performance audits (also called "value-for-money" audits) in order to provide local governments with objective information and advice on achieving efficiencies in local government operations.
* Provide recommendations to the audited local government in the form of public reports.
* Issue recommended practices arising from performance audits.
Performance audits would:
* Investigate questions such as whether a service is undertaken as economically and efficiently as possible, whether a service is effective in achieving its intended results, and whether local governments are sufficiently monitoring their operations.
* Examine a specific local government operation - not the entirety of its operations.
A number of performance audits would be undertaken each year.
Performance audits would not:
* Call into question the merits of policy decisions or objectives of a local government.
The Act provides that the AGLG has scope to conduct performance audits of:
* Any municipality or regional district.
* The two boards providing water and sewerage/drainage services in Metro Vancouver.
* Corporations or other entities controlled by these local government bodies.
More local government bodies, such as the Islands Trust, could be added in the future through a regulation.
The Act states that the AGLG is to be appointed by the Province, based on a recommendation of an Audit Council. The AGLG's term is five years, with a maximum of two terms permitted.
The AGLG would:
* Prepare annual service plans laying out general objectives of the office in the upcoming year, including themes and priorities for performance audits.
* Have sole discretion in selecting performance audits to conduct, provided they are consistent with the priorities identified in the annual service plan.
* Provide non-binding recommendations to audited local governments in the form of performance audit reports.
* Ensure audited local governments and the Audit Council have the opportunity to comment on a draft performance audit report before it is published.
* Include in the final performance audit report a summary of any comments provided by an audited local government.
* Publish performance audit reports to make them publicly available.
* Publish other reports, such as reports on recommended practices arising from performance audits that may be relevant to local governments generally.
* Prepare and publish annual reports outlining results achieved by the AGLG's office in the previous year.

Audit Council:

The AGLG would report through an appointed Audit Council comprised of at least five individuals with relevant professional expertise in accounting, auditing, or local or provincial governance. Audit Council members would be appointed by the Province for a maximum term of three years.

The minister responsible for the Act would consult with local government, business and taxpayer interests in recommending individuals to appoint to the Audit Council.

The Audit Council would be responsible for:

* Recommending to the Province an individual to be appointed as the AGLG.
* Recommending to the Province suspension or removal of the individual serving as AGLG, if there were cause to do so.
* Reviewing and recommending changes to the AGLG's annual service plans.
* Providing the AGLG with comments on performance audit reports.
* Providing a statement on the AGLG's performance to be included in the AGLG's annual report.

Budget:

BC LIBERAL PARTY NEWSLETTER

Keeping you informed is continuing our commitment to openness and to engaging our grassroots members.  We want to highlight how the new Canada Starts Here: BC Jobs Plan is working.

Canada Starts Here: The BC Job Plan is working:

•    BC Lands Major Shipbuilding Contract: A strong relationship with the Federal Government has paid off. Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards was awarded an $8-billion federal contract - which promises to transform B.C.’s economy through the construction of a new shipbuilding infrastructure.  This is a deal that would ensure the stability of the shipbuilding industry in BC for years and years to come. It is estimated to create from (2013-2022) 3,683 jobs and from (2023-2032) 8,465 long-term direct and indirect jobs in the marine industry - averaging $80,000 a year, including benefits.

•    Building Schools & Creating Jobs: Premier Christy Clark rolled out a $353-million school capital plan. Projects approved for funding include: six new elementary schools,  one new middle school, two new secondary schools, four school additions, and six school site purchases – four of which are for future schools.  Once projects get underway, an estimated 1,850 jobs will be created for families across the province.

•     Building Tourism & a 5-Year Strategy: The province announced a strategy to build tourism and create jobs. Gaining The Edge: A Five-Year Strategy for Tourism in B.C.  The strategy will increase the number of visitors and promote job creation by building on the global awareness generated by the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. These areas include: touring vacations, city experiences, skiing-snowboarding, Aboriginal tourism, outdoor adventure/ecotourism, and meetings and conventions. The strategy will target a five per cent annual growth in revenue in the tourism sector, expected to reach $18 billion annually by 2016.

•    Record Lumber Exports to China: B.C. sets yearly China lumber export record. Lumber exports to China for the first eight months of this year totaled $746 million. For all of 2010, B.C's lumber exports to the country were worth $687 million. As pledged in Canada Starts Here: The BC Jobs Plan, the Province will double B.C.'s international presence in key and expanding markets and will implement a promotional campaign to highlight British Columbia as a safe harbour to attract new international investment.

•    Capitalizing on Liquefied Natural Gas: One of the greatest natural resources in Norther BC is natural gas and our government is committed to helping market this resource. The National Energy Board (NEB) approved a 20-year export license for the facility in Kitimat and it will be operational by 2015. It will have the capacity to export B.C.'s natural gas to overseas markets for the very first time and it will instantly increase economic prosperity and create jobs. With the capacity to supply B.C.'s natural gas to new markets, demand will increase for the province's energy resources and investment will be secured for ongoing development. Long-term jobs and business opportunities will be available for northeast communities. The facility itself will create approximately 1,500 person-years of work during its construction phase and 120-140 permanent positions once the terminal is in operation.

•    New Skills for Workers for Today’s Economy: The province formed a partnership with the United Steelworkers Union (USW) to pilot new skills training for its members in the North, with a focus in the areas of forestry and mining. A total of $2.9 million is being provided for this Northern Skills Training Pilot over the next 18 months. This initiative is part of the commitment made in the ‘Canada Starts Here: the BC Jobs Plan’ to enhance training opportunities to meet regional labour market needs. With major projects underway and planned in B.C.’s north, this partnership helps fill the need for increasingly skilled workers.

•    Focusing on the Role of Small Business: The governments of Canada and British Columbia launched the Small Business Profile 2011, a report that highlights the major role that small businesses play in B.C.'s economic success, through job creation, wage increases, exports and contributions to the province's gross domestic product."
The BC Liberal Party will continue to keep you up to date with the latest news of how we are working for you. We encourage you to go to our website www.bcliberals.com and we would like to hear from you. Thank you for your continued support.

I need your help to get the job done — that's why it would be great if you could make a secure online donation of $25, $50 or $75 by clicking here.

Sincerely,

Christy Clark

Students will benefit from new or expanded schools, as the Province rolls out a $353-million school capital plan.

Projects approved for funding include:

Six new elementary schools.
• One new middle school.
• Two new secondary schools.
• Four school additions.
• Six school site purchases - four of which are for future schools.

The new capital plan focuses on high-priority projects. Surrey (SD 36) - has been approved for eight new projects, including two new elementary schools, two secondary school additions, and the purchase of land for four future schools to accommodate projected growth.

"The Surrey school district is the fastest-growing district in the province, and there is no doubt that these eight new projects will help alleviate some of the pressures they've been facing," said Finance Minister and MLA for Surrey-Cloverdale Kevin Falcon.

Premier Clark made the announcement at Hazelgrove Elementary school in Surrey today. Meanwhile, across the Georgia Strait on Vancouver Island, students in the Sooke school district (SD 62) celebrated the news with Education Minister George Abbott as they learned that they would be getting not one, but two new secondary schools.

"We're investing in our children's education by making sure they have the right environment to support their learning," said Abbott.

John Cummins has demonstrated yet again he lacks a basic understanding of the issues. Cummins' claim that the new Teachers Act enshrines the British Columbia Teachers Federation's influence over teacher discipline is wrong.

“Once again John Cummins is speaking before he knows the facts,” says Langley MLA Mary Polak. “If he were to do his research he would know we are removing the BCTF majority from the disciplinary committee. Where there were 3 members before there will now only be one.”

The new Teachers Act protects children by restoring a greater balance to teacher discipline and increasing transparency in the judgement making process.

The act makes substantial changes to how education is run is British Columbia and holds teachers accountable for their actions in the classroom.

“Parents can have confidence sending their children to school knowing there will be an accountable and transparent teacher disciplinary system in British Columbia,” said Polak “I’m surprised Cummins isn’t throwing his support behind this important move to keep students safe.”

A new website has been launched to inform British Columbians about Adrian Dix, the chief architect of the disastrous ‘90s and BC NDP leader.

The new website, www.CantAffordDix.ca details Adrian Dix’s reckless funding promises to increase government spending in British Columbia by over $15 billion and his devastating track record from the '90s.

As the chief architect of the BC NDP government in the ‘90s, Dix is responsible for the financial chaos left behind by his party’s fiscal mismanagement of the province’s economy.

If elected Dix’s uncontrolled tax and spend promises will bankrupt the province, leave future generations in debt, and drive investment and jobs away from B.C.

The website reminds the public of the remarkable change in British Columbia's fortunes since the BC Liberals formed government in 2001.

We Can’t Afford Adrian Dix and the BC NDP, below are some examples why:

•    Adrian Dix fabricated a memo from the premier’s office meant to protect his boss and close friend, Premier Glen Clark, from a police investigation.
•    Adrian Dix and the NDP introduced the job killing corporate capital tax in 1992 as a temporary measure, but it remained in place until the BC Liberals phased it out in 2002 – a decade later.
•    Adrian Dix and the NDP introduced a surtax of up to 3 per cent on what they deemed “luxury” vehicles – anything selling for $30,000 or more – which particularly punished drivers in rural B.C., where a pickup is not a luxury.
•    Adrian Dix’s reckless funding promises to increase government spending in British Columbia by over $15 billion and his devastating track record from the '90s.

These facts and much more can be found on www.CantAffordDix.ca.

We have worked very hard to make British Columbia the best place to live, work and play, we can’t afford to go back.

Seaspan Marine Corp., a shipbuilding company situated on the North Shore of the Lower Mainland, recently won an $8-billion contract to build non-combat ships for the Government of Canada. This outstanding news for British Columbia is anticipated to bring close to 4,000 well-paying jobs to the province.

At a joint press conference with the Premier, the CEO of Seaspan went so far as to thank the Government of British Columbia for its support, calling them a “partner” in the bid, and saying the Government’s efforts were a key to the bid’s success.

BCC leader John Cummins opposed the Premier’s efforts to help Seaspan win this $8-billion contract, and was outraged after the announcement saying that he was “furious” because the Premier’s efforts “didn’t influence the bid”; despite the fact that the CEO of Seaspan said the exact opposite was true.

John Cummins is simply saying whatever he can to spin the news to his political benefit. How can you trust Cummins, he’ll say anything for political gain?

The significant program announced by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Government of Canada will not only make our country safer and more secure, it will benefit our province and the rest of Canada in the decades to come.

Because of yesterday's announcement, approximately 4,040 direct and indirect careers will be created throughout British Columbia. Suppliers will come from the Kootenays, the Peace, the Northwest, throughout the Cariboo and everywhere in between. This contract is great for B.C. families -- and a real shot in arm for our economy.

As Premier I committed to support Seaspan's bid by announcing in July that the province will offer enhanced training and other labour tax credits to eligible marine industry employers, invest resources to develop the long-term viability of the marine sector and create a new industry-led marine training centre.

We're seeing real economic momentum build in British Columbia. In under a month we've seen the approval to export liquified natural gas in Kitimat, Western Forest Products decision to spend $200 million on coastal forestry operations and culminating in today's $8 billion ship building contract.

Your BC Liberal government will continue to work hard to implement Canada Starts Here: The BC Jobs Plan. That's why I will be travelling to China and India in November to secure first dollar investment to grow our economy and create even more high-paying careers. That's why I won't stop being B.C.'s number one salesperson.

Our approach is working. On a recent investor trip to Europe, Finance Minister Kevin Falcon heard loud and clear that British Columbia is recognized as a safe harbour for investment in the stormy global economy. Keeping spending under control, creating an environment where job creation is embraced and ensuring we maintain one of the lowest tax regimes in North America will remain a high priority for each and every BC Liberal MLA.

I'm optimistic about our future here in B.C., but let's not stop making progress. Adrian Dix and the BC NDP would love to have the opportunity to take B.C. backwards to the high-tax, free-spending, job-killing policies that he implemented when he was chief architect of the disastrous 1990's. Don't let him!

VANCOUVER - The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, federal Minister of Health, British Columbia Minister of Health Michael De Jong, the B.C. First Nations Health Council and the B.C. First Nations Health Society signed a landmark legal agreement that will ensure B.C. First Nations have a major role in the planning and management of health services for First Nations through a new First Nations health governance structure.

"Today marks an important and historic milestone for the Harper government, B.C. First Nations and the Province of British Columbia," said Minister Aglukkaq. "This will streamline administration, encourage the integration of the federally and provincially funded health services and allow health-care decisions to be made closer to home. We're proud to partner with B.C. First Nations and the Province of British Columbia on this important initiative."

The British Columbia Tripartite Framework Agreement on First Nation Health Governance paves the way for the federal government to transfer the planning, design, management and delivery of First Nations health programs to a new First Nations Health Authority over the next two years.

The First Nations Health Authority will incorporate First Nations' cultural knowledge, beliefs, values and models of healing into the design and delivery of health programs that better meet the needs of First Nations communities.

"This agreement is the first of its kind in Canada and advances B.C.'s New Relationship commitments to close the gaps, including health, that separate First Nations people from other British Columbians," said B.C. Health Minister Michael de Jong. "The relationships we've built between governments, First Nations and communities are the foundation for improving the health of First Nations communities that benefit all British Columbians."

B.C. First Nations Chiefs overwhelmingly endorsed the agreement in May, moving another step toward assuming greater control over their health and wellness.

"B.C. First Nations are demonstrating incredible leadership," said Grand Chief Doug Kelly, Chair of the First Nations Health Council. "We will be the first in Canada to take over provincewide health service delivery from the federal government and will work closely with the provincial health system to enable it to better meet First Nations health needs and priorities. Through this new health governance approach, we will see remarkable improvements in the health and well-being of First Nations people in B.C. within one generation, and contribute to the health services accessed by all British Columbians."

"This agreement is a result of years of work by B.C. First Nations to bring forward a First Nation vision of health care," said Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo. "We cannot be passive observers in our own lives and the lives of our families and communities - this agreement enables First Nations to take a step forward in taking back responsibility for our own lives and for our own communities and Nations."

"It is deeply satisfying to see this agreement coming to fruition. This agreement means that First Nations will have a strong voice in identifying their health-care needs, and the power to address those needs as they see best," said federal Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development John Duncan.

Today's signing of the B.C. Tripartite Framework Agreement on First Nation Health Governance is a key milestone in the Tripartite First Nations Health Plan, which was signed in 2007 with the goal of improving the health and well-being of First Nations in B.C. and closing the gap in health between First Nations people and other British Columbians.

October 12, 2011

KAMLOOPS Adrian Dix, the chief architect of the 1990's NDP government, is in town and it's time for him to be honest about his plan to recklessly raise taxes to pay for pet projects and reward his public sector union bosses.

"The taxman cometh," says Kamloops-South Thompson MLA Kevin Krueger.

"Adrian Dix and the BC NDP want to keep their plans to hike taxes back up to the stratospheric levels of the '90s a secret. They didn't count on Tom Friedman pulling back the curtain to reveal their scheme."

In an interview on August 26th, Friedman was discussing how to address the revenue challenges expected in the wake of the decision to return to the PST.

Friedman said, "There are other taxes. The HST and the PST were not the only alternatives. There are income taxes. There's corporate taxes."

On top of this are comments from Susan Lambert, president of the BC Teachers' Federation, one of Dix's major financial backers. While appearing before the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services on September 15th, she said that "government revenue must be increased" and proposed a personal income tax increase of 25 percent.

"High personal and corporate taxes are precisely the last thing British Columbia needs during this time of global economic uncertainty," says Krueger. "Dix's approach was disastrous the last time he was in charge 50,000 people, or over half the population of Kamloops, left British Columbia looking for opportunities elsewhere. We simply cannot afford such irresponsible job-killing policies again.

B.C.'s economic growth has exceeded the national average over the past ten years, thanks to 100 tax cuts for working families and small businesses since 2001.

"This government's prudent fiscal management and strong stewardship of the economy is why we have regained our AAA credit rating and why we're much better positioned to weather these stormy times," says Krueger. "The BC NDP have voted against every single tax cut we've made, and now Friedman's comments indicate they want to crank taxes back up to '90s levels.

"It's time for Adrian Dix to quit being secretive about his plans to raise taxes. British Columbians have the right to know Dix is auditioning for the role of taxman. Does he agree with the call for drastically raising personal income taxes or not?"

Adrian Dix's high-tax job-killing agenda is a blast from the past Kamloops and the rest of the province simply can't afford.

Today in her throne speech Premier Christy Clark reiterated her focus on job creation, building stronger, safer communities and open government.

“In the coming months, we will chart a clear course for British Columbia as we navigate through these challenging economic times,” said Premier Christy Clark.

As they have been since taking office, families remain a key focus of the Premier's agenda. The throne speech outlined initiatives to benefit families:

· The introduction of a new provincial statutory holiday, Family Day commencing in 2013.

· New legislation to modernize our education system.

· New legislation to modernize the BC College of Teachers.

· Streamlined process for traffic-fine violations to free up provincial court time.

· Looking into more openness in trials of those accused of participating in the Vancouver riot.

· A law to assist family law problems.

· A commitment to work with non-profit groups.

· Anti-bullying policies.

· A summit on social innovation.

Also highlighted were initiatives to defend and create jobs, including:

· A review of the operations of all Crown corporations.

· A Major Investments Office.

· A Jobs and Investment Board.

· $24 million in investment across natural resource ministries.

· Creation of an office of the Municipal Auditor General.

· Changes to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

· Launch of new online tools and a dedicated website to enhance public engagement.

You can watch the full Throne speech here: http://bcleg-ds1.insinc.com/ibc/mp/md/open/l/8/1353/wven.asx or read it here: http://www.leg.bc.ca/39th4th/4-8-39-4.htm

• Extending government's commitment to no net-increases in regulations to 2015.
• Introducing legislation to ensure progress on regulatory accountability is reported annually.
• Reducing the regulatory burden on citizens and small businesses.
• Streamlining and simplifying government processes.

• Create Regional Workforce Tables as a new platform for educators, industry, employers, local chambers of commerce, First Nations, labour and others to come together to plan how best to align training programs to meet regional needs. Their input will inform how the Province delivers regionally based skills development programs, including $15 million to further support regional post-secondary institutions in addressing local labour needs.
• Work in partnership with industry to ensure job demands in key sectors are met - in areas such as forestry, mining, tourism, technology, transportation, agri-foods, services and others. Up to $6 million will help sectors identify their skills and workforce needs.
• Hold a major conference in the coming months to bring together a wide range of stakeholders to explore ways to meet industry apprenticeship needs.

• Expanding markets for B.C. products and services, particularly in Asia.
• Strengthening our infrastructure to get our goods to market.
• Working with employers and communities to enable job creation across B.C.

• Expanding markets for B.C. products, particularly in Asia.
• Strengthening our infrastructure to get our goods to market.
• Working with employers and communities to enable job creation across B.C.

NORTH VANCOUVER - Premier Christy Clark and Environment Minister Terry Lake launched the BC Parks centennial celebrations by announcing that parking will now be free in all provincial parks to encourage families to take advantage of our world-class parks system.

"The parking meters are coming out and parking will be free, effective immediately, so that British Columbia's parks are even more welcoming for families," said Premier Clark. "Our parks not only contribute to a healthy lifestyle and protect our environment, they are important to our economy. More park visitors mean more tourism dollars and more jobs for rural British Columbians and we want to eliminate any barriers to using the parks."

The Province also announced a $500,000 Community Legacy Program to support communities while they celebrate the BC Parks centennial. The funding will be used to improve parks across the province. Community groups can apply for up to $20,000 for projects such as trail enhancements, improvements that support recreational activities or conservation of a park's ecology or cultural history. These projects will provide a lasting commemoration of BC Parks 100.

"BC Parks are a part of who we are," said Lake. "They help define us as British Columbians, and show that we care deeply about our environment and our planet. The new legacy fund looks to the future and the improvements we can continue to make, and it looks to the past 100 years by recognizing that community groups have played a key role in making the parks and protected areas system what it is today."

While we celebrate BC Parks 100, park visitors will be the ones getting the birthday gifts through a number of promotions throughout the year. Starting soon, people can share photos or stories from a BC Parks adventure at www.facebook.com/YourBCParks and then go to www.bcparks.ca to submit their name for a random draw of a BC Parks birthday pack to make your next park visit more enjoyable.

With 13.6 per cent of the province set aside as parkland and protected areas, B.C. has the second largest park system in Canada, second only to the national park system. Special events will be held in parks across the province all year, as BC Parks honours 100 years of conservation and recreation, from the snowy peak of Mount Robson to the tidal pools of Haida Gwaii.

The Past 100 Years:

• Established on March 1, 1911, Strathcona Provincial Park, in the centre of Vancouver Island, was British Columbia's first provincial park.
• Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, was climbed for the very first time in 1913 - the same year it was established as the second provincial park.
• In the past decade, the B.C. government has established 65 new parks, 144 conservancies, two ecological reserves and nine protected areas. More than 60 parks and six ecological reserves have been expanded. In total, these additions protect more than 1.9 million hectares of additional land.
• In the spring of 2010, the BC Parks system was again expanded by more than 27,000 hectares. Seven new provincial parks and one new conservancy were established and land was added to 12 existing parks.

Parks Today:

• BC Parks manages almost 1,000 provincial parks and protected areas covering approximately 13.6 per cent of B.C. - more than 13.1 million hectares or 131,000 square kilometres. It's the third largest protected areas system in North America, after the Canadian and American national park systems.
• About 20 million people visit British Columbia's provincial parks each year.
• There are about 6,900 kilometres of trails in the BC Parks system. That's longer than the Canada-U.S. border, which is approximately 6,400 kilometres.
• Tweedsmuir Provincial Park is the largest, spanning 989,616 hectares. Memory Island Provincial Park on Vancouver Island is the smallest at less than one hectare.
• The Kitlope Heritage Conservancy protects the largest intact coastal temperate rainforest in the world.
• The 440-metre high Della Falls in Strathcona Provincial Park is Canada's highest waterfall and one of the 10 highest in the world.
• Every fall, the world's most productive sockeye salmon run can be seen at Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park.

Conservation:

• British Columbia's parks are vital to protecting species-at-risk and important habitats, assisting the movement of species resulting from climate change, sequestering carbon and protecting water and watersheds.
• The 947,026-hectare Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Park is a World Heritage Site. Together with adjacent protected areas in Alaska and the Yukon, it forms the world's largest international World Heritage Site.
• Khutzeymateen Provincial Park is Canada's only grizzly bear sanctuary and is home to the highest known concentration of grizzlies along the British Columbia coast.
• British Columbia has the highest percentage of its land base dedicated to protected areas of all Canadian provinces. Combined with the national parks system, 14.27 per cent, or more than 13.5 million hectares, of British Columbia's land base is protected. That is an area equal in size to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and P.E.I. combined.
• The vast majority of land in the BC Parks system - 98 per cent - remains predominantly free from human alteration.
• The BC Progress Board's Benchmark Reports for 2009 and 2010 ranked B.C. first in Canada on environmental quality and on protected areas.

Recreation:

• British Columbia's provincial parks offer campsites, day-use areas and thousands of kilometres of trails as fun, convenient and low-cost ways to explore the province.
• There were over 19 million visits to our parks in 2009, increasing to more than 20 million during the past year. Reserve your camping adventure through Discover Camping at www.discovercamping.ca or through the call centre at 1 800 689-9025.
• There are more than 340 campgrounds, 118 boat launches and 263 day-use areas in B.C.'s provincial parks system.
• British Columbia's parks have hosted the world's best athletes. During the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, Cypress Provincial Park played host to the freestyle skiing and snowboard events. In March 2011, Silver Star Provincial Park hosted the Sparkling Hills Masters World Cup 2011 cross-country ski championships.

Projects to mark the centennial include:

• High tech meets the great outdoors with a smart phone-friendly web portal for Discover Camping that allows campers to make or change a reservation for a provincial park camping spot while they are on the road. For more information, go to: https://secure.camis.com/Discovercamping/
• BC Parks and GeoBC have created an online tool linking people with a variety of info about BC Parks. For example, with the new Google Mashup Tool, park fans can use Google Maps to get directions to a park, view all the protected areas in the province at once or link directly to each park's web page. Click the Find a Park by Location feature at: www.bcparks.ca
• MEC 100 Years of Adventure, a partnership between Mountain Equipment Co-op and BC Parks, will see ten adventure-themed events held to celebrate parks as a playground for outdoor adventure. The calendar of events is available at: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/events/100Adventure/

For More Info:

The BC Parks 100 website: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/

The BC Parks 100 event calendar lists celebrations happening across B.C. all year long: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/events/calendar/#eventList

BC Parks on Facebook: www.facebook.com/YourBCParks

At a slick nomination meeting Tuesday night — complete with large-screen TVs showing the Canucks playoff game, professional lighting, a stage and a booming speaker system playing thumping techno music — a grinning Clark greeted hundreds of supporters standing shoulder to shoulder at the Kitsilano Neighbourhood House community centre.

The event was in sharp contrast to the modest New Democratic Party nomination meeting Monday night at the same centre, where David Eby was acclaimed the NDP candidate.

Clark, who is without a seat in the provincial legislature, will now battle Eby, a popular civil rights activist, in a May 11 byelection.

Also nominated to run in the byelection is Vancouver school board employee Françoise Raunet, representing the Green Party of B.C.

As Clark took to the stage, she first acknowledged her supporters’ disappointment over the Canucks’ loss to the Chicago Blackhawks.

Don’t worry, she told them, the next game will be in Vancouver and “guess who’s going to win?” The crowd erupted in thunderous applause.

The premier praised the Kitsilano Neighbourhood House, where she said she used to bring her son for after-school care when he started kindergarten.

Emphasizing her ties to the community, she also told the crowd her nine-year-old son goes to school next door and that she worked as the centre’s vice-chair for a number of years.

“This is a place where in times of crisis we can come for support,” she said, adding that government should work like a neighbourhood house does.

“Government should strive to be there when you are in a time of crisis. Government should strive to connect us in a way it never has before so we can talk to each other and understand each other’s stories.”

Repeating her campaign slogan of change, Clark listed her recent government initiatives, including restoring money for charities, reviewing BC Hydro rates, imposing stiffer penalties for animal cruelty and raising the minimum wage.

Attacking the NDP, she said voting for the party would be like going back to a time when B.C. was a have-not province.

“Maybe there’s some comfort in that. At least you know what it is like. You know what it is like to go around the province and see empty storefronts, and you know what it’s like to see your kids, when they graduate from UBC, go off and find a job in another province. You know what it’s like when your business can’t make it because your margins are so tight because the government is taxing you out of business and forcing you to close your doors.”

On Monday, Eby took aim at Clark’s record on the environment, particularly her decision to ask Prime Minister Stephen Harper to reverse a federal environmental assessment turning down the Prosperity Mine project near Williams Lake. The project would have seen Fish Lake destroyed and turned into a tailings pit.

Clark fired back at Eby Tuesday, saying his criticisms were “a little rich” given that he’s running for a party that opposed the Liberals’ carbon tax initiative and the Clean Energy Act.

Clark left politics six years ago, returning last year to run for the leadership of the Liberals after Campbell announced he was stepping down. She was elected party leader Feb. 26.

• Monday, June 13 – Elections BC starts mailing out referendum ballots for the HST to all registered voters.
• Friday, June 24 – Majority of British Columbians have received the ballot.
• Friday, July 8 – Last day for unregistered voters to request a ballot from Elections BC.
• Friday, July 22, 4:30 p.m. (local time) – Completed ballots must be received by mail by Elections BC or in person by a Service BC centre.

• Premier – Hon. Christy Clark
• Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance – Hon. Kevin Falcon
• Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation – Hon.  Mary Polak
• Minister of Advanced Education – Hon. Naomi Yamamoto
• Minister of Agriculture – Hon. Don McRae
• Attorney General – Hon. Barry Penner
• Minister of Children and Family Development – Hon. Mary McNeil
• Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development – Hon. Ida Chong
• Minister of Education – Hon. George Abbott
• Minister of Energy and Mines (minister responsible for Housing) – Hon. Rich Coleman
• Minister of Environment – Hon. Terry Lake
• Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations – Hon. Steve Thomson
• Minister of Health – Hon. Michael de Jong
• Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation – Hon. Pat Bell
• Minister of Labour, Citizens’ Services and Open Government – Hon. Stephanie Cadieux
• Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General – Hon. Shirley Bond
• Minister of Social Development (minister responsible for multiculturalism) – Hon. Harry Bloy
• Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure – Hon. Blair Lekstrom