BC Liberal cuts and under-funding are shortsighted

The government delivered another disappointing budget yesterday.

The announced 11 percent cut to the public service is a massive blow that will hurt communities at a time when they are relying on these services the most. Hardest-hit ministries like Forests and Range are being hollowed out, resulting in much less capacity for research, inspection, and enforcement.

Along with my concern over deeper cuts to the public service, I was struck by the utter lack of vision that this government has moving out of this recession. They seem to be so focused on having a smaller deficit than other provinces that they are willing to sacrifice our province's long-term economic well-being.

Child poverty in B.C. has been at an unacceptably high level for some time now. We know what kinds of programs and community supports are needed to deal with this problem, but the BC Liberal government refuses to put together a viable plan or invest in real solutions.

It's a myth that we can't afford these solutions. We've got a revenue problem - not a spending problem in B.C. That's why I made many revenue-generating suggestions to this government last fall and why I'm disappointed that they are focused solely on spending cuts. It's shortsighted and it won't build the foundation we need for a healthy economy.

The recent rise in GDP is due largely to consumer spending and household investments. It's families and communities that are stimulating the economy. The better we support these communities, the stronger we will emerge from this recession.

Investment in public services, province-wide and community-based, just makes economic sense. It pays off in the long-run through savings to health and welfare costs and in more revenue from more people working. And it's the right thing to do. These services turn people's lives around and provide support for communities that so badly need it right now.