ROTHENBURGER: Why trashing the NDP’s budget is the proper thing to do

That assessment wasn’t shared by a friend of mine who also watched the budget proceedings. His view is that it was just more of what’s wrong with our political system — partisan politics aimed at scoring points instead of working together for the common good.

His opinion is shared by many, but our Parliamentary system is adversarial by nature and design.

The party system provides stability and avoids revolving door governments, which were the norm before independent representatives coalesced into parties.

Parties that don’t win enough seats to form government are called “opposition” parties for a reason. They don’t oppose the government out of spite or just for cheap politics — they do it because it’s their duty.

So, yes, there were some good things in the budget. It focused heavily on social issues, which is a priority with the public right now. More money for healthcare and so on. A little here, a little there.

It’s the job of the government to brag. But it’s not the job of opposition parties to praise the government. It’s their job to challenge. “Critics” criticize.

So Milobar weighed in, blasting away at the budget for not being enough of this and that, and chastising the NDP for being long on talk and short on action.

Yesterday, Liberal leader Kevin Falcon took over, calling the budget “a huge disappointment for British Columbians, with record high debt and projected deficits coupled with record low results.”

After the rhetoric, the budget will eventually wind its way through the process and be adopted, and the system will have worked as it should.

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops, alternate TNRD director and a retired newspaper editor. He is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a recipient of the Jack Webster Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.

——

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.

by Mel Rothenburger

ROTHENBURGER: Why trashing the NDP’s budget is the proper thing to do

Our Community