It seems that Premier Christy Clark would do anything to hang on to power. She is now proposing many of the policies advocated by the New Democratic Party.
In the speech from the throne, read by Lt.-Gov. Judith Guichon last Thursday Christy Clark Liberals proposed dozens of new ideas that were not included in their election platform. The CBC has listed 30 throne speech pledges that were not in the Liberal election platform.
The Liberal government says it will commit to wide ranging investments in everything from education to transit to housing affordability, if it can maintain the confidence of the B.C. Legislature and stay in power.
The Christy Clark government says it would ban corporate and union donations to political parties. The BC Liberals would also impose a political donation limit for individuals, ban donations to political parties from outside B.C. and ban funding to a provincial political party from a federal party.
Over the last few years the NDP introduced legislation six times that would have banned corporate and union donations to political parties. Each time this was opposed by the Liberals.
According to the throne speech Liberals are now ready to end a decade-long freeze on welfare rates.
The throne speech also includes a commitment by the BC Liberals to spend $1 billion on child care over the next four years. The money would primarily be used for creating 60,000 new child care spots, beyond the 13,000 spaces they had already committed to add during the election campaign.
Prior to the election, Liberals had rejected calls for a universal child care plan saying it was unaffordable and would require an increase in taxes.
These changes in policies are extremely bizarre. The BC Liberals for the last many years had opposed any kind of change in donations to political parties. In fact, even after the May 9 election they have collected millions of dollars from large corporations. They have argued strenuously against reforming the political-donation system for years, saying the public would prefer more transparency rather than a ban on corporate and union donations.
The BC Liberals say they now intend to get rid of tolls on the Port Mann Bridge “as quickly as possible,” and accelerate replacement of the Pattullo Bridge and remove tolls on the Golden Ears Bridge.
All these promises are contingent on the B.C. Liberals remaining in power and winning a confidence vote that is expected next week.
It is obvious that Christy Clark Liberals are proposing these changes to hang onto power. The throne speech and all the pledges the Liberals have made cannot be taken seriously. Premier Christy Clark has publicly stated that she intends to embarrass the NDP and Greens when they vote against the throne speech. It is clear from her statements that Premier Clark does not believe in the policies she has proposed in the throne speech. Despite all of the pledges she has made her days are numbered.
Harinder Mahil is a human rights activist and is a member of the Board of the Dr. Hari Sharma Foundation.
