Attorney general’s priorities missing from budget plans
The B.C. government hasn’t yet budgeted for some of its biggest promises.
Attorney General David Eby has acknowledged that addressing the “desperate” sheriff shortage and increasing court services staffing to reduce court delays was the only priority from his mandate letter to get a piece of the pie, when his budget grew two per cent. His ministry budget went up by $11 million as part of a September update.
Vancouver-Quilchena Liberal MLA Andrew Wilkinson asked about funding for other priorities identified in Eby’s mandate letter, such as establishing a Human Rights Commission and expanding legal aid services.
“It would seem to confirm that apart from increasing the number of court sheriffs and increasing the staff in the court services branch, there is no money whatsoever for the items in the mandate letter. Is that correct?” Wilkinson asked.
“The member is correct,” Eby responded.
The ministry’s operating budget rose to $427 million from $416 million, when the new NDP government provided a budget update in September.
Other priorities that Premier John Horgan asked Eby to focus on in his mandate letter include: campaign-finance reform, a referendum on proportional representation, lobbying reform, re-establishing the Human Rights Commission, improving and supporting legal aid, working with First Nations to reduce the number of Aboriginal people in the justice system and initiating a review of the Insurance Corp. of B.C.
Eby said the new money covered things such as upgrades to the Surrey courthouse, the sheriff staffing shortage, the guns and gangs strategy and salary increases for Crown and legal counsel.
He said the government is taking action on its priorities, including a consultation on the Human Rights Commission, reviewing ICBC, introducing legislation for campaign-finance reform, a referendum on proportional representation, and lobbying reform.
It also gave $400,000 in capacity funding to the Aboriginal Justice Council, to get the ball rolling on consultation regarding First Nations and the justice system.
Eby said the government is waiting to hear what shape any changes might take, before budgeting for them.
The government was under tight time constraints when it put together its September budget update, he said.
That’s why the three-year fiscal plan doesn’t include specific funding for those priorities — but that should be reconciled in the February budget.
“I understand Mr. Wilkinson prefers that we put placeholders in our budget update from September, but what we’re doing is working toward our February budget, and then, years ahead,” Eby said.