Budget will reflect values of NDP government

Minister should take a long view, Elizabeth Cull says.

B.C. Finance Minister Carole James will set the tone for the New Democrat government when she delivers her first budget Tuesday. From my experience as a finance minister I know this day is likely to be one of her best and toughest days in office.

Budget Day is the best day for a finance minister because it provides the opportunity to demonstrate how government spending and tax policy can be used to deliver on the premier’s commitment to make life more affordable for British Columbians, protect the services they count on, and provide the conditions to grow a sustainable economy based on good-paying jobs and respect for our environment. It’s also the potential to be a tough day for the minister because the expectations are very high, and it will be impossible to meet them all in a single budget.

James’s job has been made more difficult by the significant financial mess the previous government left behind at ICBC and B.C. Hydro, draining both of them to maintain the illusion of surplus budgets instead of doing the hard work to actually balance the budget. With that job left to the new government, restoring the financial health of both Crown corporations will require money that government would have preferred to use to improve life for ordinary British Columbians.

Difficult as it may be, however, there are things James can do to move toward the government’s goal of a better B.C.

First, take the long view. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither will $10-a-day child care. It will take more than one budget to make housing affordable again for young families or to reduce the harm being caused by addictions. The minister should commit to tackling these and other issues by setting goals and making a significant start in this budget, while demonstrating the government has a plan to get there in a reasonable time, establishing benchmarks that can be measured, and reporting on progress toward those goals.

Next, be bold. The crisis in housing affordability is a complex problem, and half-measures like those tried by the B.C. Liberals failed to improve things. James should use tax policy to discourage speculation and encourage the construction of affordable housing, especially rental housing. The expertise of housing experts within government, industry and universities should be harnessed to develop new ideas that will increase the supply of affordable housing and expand the housing options available to British Columbians. It must be clear that housing in B.C. is shelter for people, not shelter for wealth.

Then, make sure B.C.’s economy benefits everyone. The B.C. Liberals boasted about the strong economy, but forgot to take care of real people. Families who can’t find child care or afford decent housing need to see that this budget will help them. People working minimumwage jobs, and often two jobs just to make ends meet, and young people with precarious employment, want to know this government is moving forward on helping B.C. develop a sustainable, innovative economy that will employ them at a living wage. People need to see through direct investment in the services they count on that a strong economy means better health care, education, and community services.

It’s time for more than boasting. It’s time for all British Columbians to see the benefits from a strong economy. This budget needs to show all British Columbians that their government gets this.

Finally, James must deliver a budget that matches the values of the John Horgan government. Long ago I was told that, if you wanted to know what an organization really cared about, pay attention to where it spends its money. It’s dollars, not words, that will reveal the government’s true values.

Many people voted for Horgan and the NDP last year because they wanted a change in the values driving their provincial government. This budget can show them that they made the right choice.

Difficult as it may be, however, there are things James can do to move toward the government’s goal of a better B.C.