In their words

The B.C. Liberal government abruptly backtracked from a 10-year freeze on social assistance rates Monday, saying it will promise in a Thursday throne speech to raise welfare and disability rates, as well as implement a ban on corporate and union donations.

Here is the party’s shifting position:

On social-assistance rates:

PRE-ELECTION: May 1: Premier Christy Clark, editorial board with The Vancouver Sun and The Province:

“For people who can’t work, they should be on disability. But for people who can work, my feeling is most British Columbians would agree if you can work we should try and support you in finding your way into a job ...

“Welfare was always considered to be a temporary support for people. Most people are on and off it in a reasonably short period of time. If people can’t work they should be on disability. That’s why we’ve raised those rates and have raised them.”

POST-ELECTION: June 19: Social Development Minister Michelle Stilwell:

“Obviously, we had the results of the election come back and heard from people that they wanted to see more changes in the social programs that we have in our government.”

On why raising welfare rates isn’t affordable:

PRE-ELECTION: Feb 21: Finance Minister Mike de Jong, (when asked why his budget didn’t raise welfare rates):

“In the case of folks who are able and wanting to return to the workforce we have chosen instead to focus resources on doing what we can to equip them to return to the workforce and to ensure there are job opportunities there for them when they do so. That is not to diminish the challenge that people on temporary assistance face, but that’s the decision we made in terms of allocating the finite resources we had.” POST-ELECTION: June 19: Stilwell: “We will continue to be able to do this within existing budgets.”

On banning corporate and union donations to political parties:

PRE-ELECTION: March 9: Clark: “While the system we have is not perfect and there are lots of things we can and should do to fix it, a worse system would be one where the money is not given freely and people are forced to support political parties through their taxes.” POST-ELECTION: June 19: Attorney-General Andrew Wilkinson:

“Before the election the Liberal party said we’d refer this matter to an expert, arms-length panel. During this election we heard a lot from voters in all of the 87 ridings in British Columbia to suggest it was just time to move ahead with this, so that’s exactly what we’re proposing to do, is just get on with it and have a ban on corporate and union donations, and a cap on individual donations, which will dramatically change the funding of political parties in B.C."