File Photo (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Richmond-Queensborough MLA Aman Singh

Sound Off

SOUND OFF: Kevin Falcon insults B.C. families by calling rebates ‘stupid little cheques’

Mar 31, 2022 | 9:27 AM

EVERY DOLLAR COUNTS for B.C. families. But in response to actions that have put money back in the pockets of British Columbians, Kevin Falcon insults people by calling them “stupid little cheques.”

It may not mean much to the new BC Liberal leader when we save people an average of $500 with lower car insurance rates, and it may not make a big difference to him to receive a new $110 rebate from ICBC, but these things help everyday British Columbians make ends meet.

Maybe it’s because when Kevin Falcon was finance minister in 2012, he kicked off a $500 million raid of ICBC while hiking car insurance rates by 11 per cent — all to help pay for tax breaks for those at the very top.

Once again, he reminds us that he is only looking out for the wealthy and well-connected — not B.C. families.

Every day in B.C., people are benefitting from the choices we’ve made to prioritize affordability and a better life for all.

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After campaigning on eliminating bridge tolls and MSP payments — we did that, saving people thousands of dollars. We’re saving families $672 a year by making transit free for kids under 12. And we’re cutting childcare fees in half this year on the path to universal, $10-a-day child care.

Prior to 2017, we had the lowest minimum wage in the country under the BC Liberals. We’ve given B.C.’s lowest-paid workers a well-deserved raise, to the highest minimum wage of any province at $15.65/hour starting this June. Future increases will be tied to the rate of inflation.

But we know there is a lot more work to do.

When Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine set off a chain reaction of price increases all over the world, British Columbia was no exception. Filling up at the gas pump has been particularly painful for people who have seen the price go up through no fault of their own, making it harder for people getting to work, taking their kids to school or going on a weekend trip.

While we can’t directly control these inflated prices, what we can do is offer a bit of relief. That’s why our BC New Democrat government took action to help ease the burden, by providing a relief rebate of $110 for most drivers and $165 to commercial drivers. People will receive the rebate automatically for each active ICBC policy they hold.

We’re in a position to provide this help now, when people need it, because we’ve worked hard to fix the years of the old government’s mismanagement at ICBC.

The $110 rebates and $500 annual savings at ICBC are just one part of how we’re working to provide some relief from everyday costs.

They may be “stupid little cheques” to Kevin Falcon, but he’s in it for the wealthy and well-connected.

We’re working to make life better for B.C. families for whom every dollar counts.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.