Premier David Eby (Image credit: CFJC Today/File photo).

By Peter Milobar, Kamloops-North Thompson MLA

SOUND OFF

SOUND OFF: Eby’s budget inflating costs, preserving the status quo

Feb 22, 2024 | 10:30 AM

EARLIER THIS WEEK DAVID EBY and the NDP made their Speech from the Throne, a sneak peek at what to expect with their upcoming budget. However, if the proposed budget is anything like their throne speech, there is little hope on the horizon for the millions of British Columbians struggling to make ends meet.

In classic NDP fashion, they focused their throne speech on rehashing old promises that are still unfulfilled after seven years in government. Unfortunately, this government has made it clear that British Columbians shouldn’t expect anything more than the status quo: record-high spending with record-low results.

Whether it is healthcare, housing, or the skyrocketing cost of living, Eby has signalled to British Columbians that Budget 2024 will not address the issues they face every day.

There is no hiding for the NDP when it comes to the major affordability crisis that is taking its toll on our province. Food bank use has increased dramatically over the last five years, gas prices continue to rise, and people worry about affording basic necessities like groceries and home heating.

Meanwhile, the NDP is running up the provincial debt, with government spending increasing by 50 percent over the last five years. If increasing spending alone was the key to overcoming the endless crises our province faces, evidence of progress would be apparent by this point. The reality is British Columbians have ended up with the largest deficit in our province’s history while a myriad of problems worsen under David Eby and the NDP’s watch.

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Since 2017, David Eby and the NDP have failed to deliver on healthcare, affordability, crime, and housing.

As it stands, 1-in-5 British Columbians have no family doctor and over half the population is $200 or less from not being able to pay their bills. During his five-year term as Attorney General, Eby was the architect behind the catch-and-release justice system that has allowed violent repeat offenders to cause havoc on our streets. The NDP has also failed to deliver on their promise of 140,000 affordable homes in 10 years, building just 16,000 units — a drop in the bucket in the face of the current housing crisis the has a whole generation giving up on the dream of home ownership.

British Columbians are tired of hearing the NDP reannounce their failed policies, they want change and a government that delivers tangible results.

BC United is committed to challenging the NDP’s “new normal” with real plans that will produce results for British Columbians.

Our strategy includes a bold housing initiative, featuring a rent-to-own program that will allow young people to enter the housing market, abolishing the carbon tax on home heating and farm use for better affordability, and a comprehensive plan to establish a treatment and recovery-focused approach to mental health and addictions.

Under Kevin Falcon’s leadership, BC United will eliminate Eby’s carbon tax increases and the provincial gas tax, addressing fuel costs directly.

We will also restore public safety by halting the NDP’s decriminalization approach and prioritizing public rights over those of violent offenders.

People are exhausted, frustrated with the NDP’s unfulfilled promises and looking for leadership that provides solutions rather than just sympathy. They deserve a government with a plan to delivers real results and tangible change.

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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.