Province Législature Session Type de discours Date du discours Locuteur Fonction du locuteur Parti politique Colombie-Britannique 35e 3e Discours du Trône 14 mars 1994 David Lam Lieutenant-Gouverneur New Democratic Party of British Columbia Honourable Speaker and Members of this Legislative Assembly: In opening this Third Session of the Thirty-Fifth Parliament of British Columbia, I extend greetings on behalf of our Sovereign, Her Majesty the Queen. And I take this opportunity to say how much we will welcome Her Majesty's visit to British Columbia this August when Victoria hosts the fifteenth Commonwealth Games. Honourable Speaker and Members . . . there is a saying, "Times change, and we change with them." Around the world, change has become the watchword for this historic decade. Here, in British Columbia, the winds of change swept in a new government, elected to lead our province in a new direction. In the last two-and-a-half years, we have indeed seen a profound change in provincial government . . . especially with regard to fiscal policy. Spending growth has been cut in half, and the budget deficit has been reduced by one billion dollars. Conservative estimates project a balanced budget by 1996, and a practical plan for managing government debt will soon be put into effect. In order to protect the pocketbooks of British Columbians and provide the highest level of service to the public, the government has moved to further eliminate wasteful spending and control administrative costs, realizing significant savings without sacrificing quality in education, health care and other vital social services the people of British Columbia expect and deserve. OUR FISCAL HOUSE IN ORDER By putting our province's fiscal house in order, this government has made an important contribution to sustained economic growth. In 1993, employment in British Columbia increased at a rate of two-point-nine per cent, three times faster than the rest of Canada. Last year, new capital investment grew at a rate of eight-point-four per cent, more than five times the national average. Our province can take pride in the fastest growing economy in the country. One of this government's top priorities is to continue this record of success. This has been a period of sustained and meaningful change, and despite the inevitable difficulties, British Columbia today stands on a firm foundation. Now, let us look to the future. As we prepare for the twenty-first century, we face challenges that test our ingenuity and resolve. * Record population growth will put more pressure on our urban communities, our environment and government services. * Discriminatory reductions in federal transfer payments to B.C. from the new government in Ottawa would be counterproductive to our budget process and could harm our economy. * Re-structuring our forest industry, the heart of British Columbia's economy, will require close and continued co- operation between government and the forest sector. * Land-use disputes must be settled in a fair and timely manner to protect jobs, our environment and treaty negotiations with First Nations. * New rules governing international trade present an excellent opportunity to expand our export industries and further cultivate ties with Asia Pacific countries, as well as our neighbours in North America. * B.C. businesses will need well-trained workers to expand and compete in the global economy. We must place greater emphasis on skills training to prepare our workforce for tomorrow's jobs. * Crime is a growing concern across our province. We must take steps to prevent crime and make our communities safer from violence, drugs and gangs. * Restoring the integrity of our social safety net is a pressing concern. We must provide for those who are truly in need and help people on welfare back to work, while enforcing strict regulations that curb fraud. * Our generation has a solemn responsibility to preserve British Columbia's magnificent natural heritage. Expanding our provincial parks and protecting wilderness areas has been, and will continue to be, a major commitment of this government. * The well-being of every citizen depends on maintaining stability in our health care system. This government is forging a new partnership with care providers and patients to ensure an even greater share of every health dollar is spent directly on medical services. The task before us is great, but so too is the spirit of British Columbia. This government stands ready to meet the challenges ahead, and asks every member of this legislative assembly to join with them in building a more just and more prosperous province. THE GOVERNMENT'S FOUR PRIORITIES To accomplish our goals, this government has established four key priorities to develop a strong and sustainable provincial economy, and ensure that citizens and communities have the opportunity to shape their lives and the issues affecting them. * Investing in long-term job creation and economic growth. * Skills training for the twenty-first century. * Revitalizing our forest sector. * Sound fiscal management and fair taxation. The budget this government will propose for the coming year reflects a major commitment to these priorities . . . priorities that put the people of British Columbia first. In addition, this government will build on the significant policy initiatives and positive changes introduced in the legislative sessions of the past two years. Continued energy and resources will focus on action to re-establish public confidence in our social safety net, improve the quality of public education, work towards equality for women, forge a new relationship with aboriginal peoples, carry out responsible land use planning, and ensure medicare keeps up with our changing needs. INVESTING IN LONG-TERM JOB CREATION AND ECONOMIC GROWTH British Columbia must create jobs with a future. We must also boost our regional economies. This government is investing in British Columbia's regions to expand and diversify our economy for the future. BC21, the government's major initiative introduced in last year's budget, will make new public sector investments in our province's infrastructure. This means construction work in the short run, and in the long-term, will make our province a better, more productive place to do business -- and that means jobs. By spending BC21 tax dollars wisely in education and health care facilities, and in transportation, communications and municipal infrastructure, we can create a climate which encourages long- term private sector investment and jobs. This government looks to invest these tax dollars cost-effectively and to ensure benefits to B.C. communities include good local jobs and training for young people. To diversify our economy, we are promoting small business, developing export trade, encouraging value-added manufacturing, and making venture capital available to entrepreneurs with innovative ideas. As British Columbia evolves into a more knowledge-based economy, we must increase our investment in advanced research to attract high-tech industries like telecommunications and biotechnology. This government will be building a new partnership with the private sector to help expand these industries and construct B.C.'s electronic highway. Families will continue to receive support from this government as it expands child care services for children with 7,500 new spaces in the next three years. This will enable more parents to take full advantage of job or training opportunities. SKILLS TRAINING FOR THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY A strong economy requires a highly-skilled, productive workforce. The Premier has placed particular importance on educating our children and re-educating workers so British Columbia can compete successfully in a global economy. To that end, this government has increased education funding more than any other province in Canada. In order to build on our initiatives to improve public education, including caps on administrative costs and funding new classroom computers, this government is completing changes to K-12 education with an emphasis on basic educational skills students need to succeed in the working world. We are also constructing new schools in areas of rapid population growth. This government will continue to demand the highest standards of performance and accountability for students, teachers and administrators to better prepare our children for the challenges ahead. The new ministry of Skills, Training and Labour has been established, and in the coming months will introduce initiatives to strengthen skills training in British Columbia. These will include a new emphasis on high quality skills training, community-based training to help bridge the gap between social assistance and work, and new apprenticeship and work experience opportunities to better prepare high school students for the world of work. This government also supports education and training outreach for women, aboriginal people, visible minorities, and persons with disabilities. On the horizon, a provincial learning network will interconnect schools, libraries, colleges and universities to enhance skills training throughout the province. The granting of four year degrees by B.C.'s colleges and institutes will also be expanded in this session as part of the government's new direction to provide more post-secondary choices for young people. REVITALIZING OUR FOREST SECTOR Perhaps the most complex and demanding issue facing this government concerns our province's vast forests, which have provided a good living and a way of life for generations of British Columbians. Management of our forests by past governments and industry without regard for long-term sustainability has jeopardized future jobs and communities. For the past year, the Forest Sector Strategy Committee has brought together representatives from industry, labour, municipalities, and First Nations, as well as environmental advocates and academics. This Committee is in the process of formulating a comprehensive strategy that will enhance the economic and social benefits derived from our province's forests. This government will be presenting to you a comprehensive set of measures designed to ensure future jobs and the sustainability of communities. This will include major investments in the forest and forest lands, in forest workers and in their communities, all built on recognizing economic, ecological, recreation and cultural values. As a result, we will achieve significant gains in job creation, training and labour adjustment, value-added manufacturing, long-term timber supply, environmental values and the participation of First Nations. Commission on the Resources and Environment has submitted its Vancouver Island Land Use Plan to the government for consideration. The Premier has indicated land use changes will not proceed until economic and social impacts can be dealt with satisfactorily. Your government will ensure that workers and their families have a real opportunity to stay in their communities and pursue their life hopes and aspirations at home. As promised, the government will introduce B.C.'s first Forest Practices Code this session. This landmark Code will make better forest practices the law in our province and include stronger enforcement and tougher penalties. SOUND FISCAL MANAGEMENT AND FAIR TAXATION The pocketbook of every British Columbian is a priority of paramount importance to this government. By pursuing a fair, progressive and responsible fiscal policy, this government has brought spending under control and lowered the deficit by one billion dollars, while maintaining vital public services. In addition, this government will balance the budget by 1996, and will soon put in place a plan to manage provincial debt. By eliminating bureaucratic waste whenever and wherever we find it, this government is fulfilling its pledge to do more with less. This has direct bearing on issues like restoring public confidence in our social safety net. Social programs are a vital part of the British Columbian economy and society. Programs such as medicare, social assistance, unemployment insurance, public education and a minimum wage define who we are as a society and how we take care of each other. They help us to cope with the unpredictable crises of life such as the loss of a job or ill health. Today Canadians are discussing the future of our social programs. Too often this discussion focuses only on whether we can afford them. Our goal now must be to ensure they remain relevant, effective and accessible. It costs us all when people fall through the social safety net . . . in poor health, lost potential, and dependency. This government believes that the people of B.C. can't afford to lose our social safety net. Consequently, this government will ensure British Columbians lead in shaping the future of our social programs. The Premier will sponsor a Forum on New Opportunities for Working and Living which will bring the people of B.C. into the discussion. Together we will design the future of our social safety net and the security we provide for all British Columbians. Renewal of our health care system also depends on our ability to manage costs, and is essential if we are to meet the medical needs of a changing population. This government's new initiatives will include delivering health services closer to home, encouraging preventative care by British Columbians, and limiting administrative costs to ensure a larger share of each health care dollar is spent directly on medical services. The average taxpayer is the true beneficiary of this government's balanced approach to fiscal management. A three year tax freeze, combined with increased tax enforcement, and pressure on Ottawa for our share of federal revenue, demonstrates this government's commitment to tax fairness. A FIRM FOUNDATION FOR THE FUTURE Honourable Speaker and Members . . . our province has arrived at a turning point. The people of British Columbia have demanded change, and this government has done its best to meet the challenge. Our record of success in fiscal management speaks for itself. Maintaining services people depend on, like education and health care, while reducing the budget deficit, means we have laid a firm foundation for the future. As British Columbia has grown from a frontier outpost to the fastest growing economy in Canada, the tradition of neighbour helping neighbour has remained strong. Like those who came before us, we must now work together to build a sturdy home on this strong foundation. A home where hard working men and women can raise their families. A home where people live in peace with one another and in harmony with nature. A home where all are welcome and no one is turned away from the table. British Columbia is our home. We enjoy a special quality of life unique to our province, and this government is determined to do its very best to protect this land we love and the people we represent.