`Wartime economy' calls for big spending, massive tax cuts
`Wartime economy' calls for both tax cuts and spending: Liberal Leader Wilkinson
Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson painted a bleak picture of the future for B.C. workers and businesses in this pandemic as justification for a platform that calls for $31 billion in capital spending and $11 billion in tax cuts.
“This is much like a wartime economy,” he told a Postmedia editorial board on Friday. “I think when you get the information coming in from the Vancouver Board of Trade saying that one-quarter of small businesses expect to close permanently within 12 months, that's a huge wake-up call.”
Wilkinson also pointed to a survey that found 50 per cent of B.C. households expect at least one member to lose their job in the next 12 months and that 30 per cent of households can't pay their bills now.
“We have an enormous economic mountain to climb,” he said. “And the job of government is to responsibly engage in that to make sure that we're providing the environment in which small businesses can get by, thrive and prosper because we're going to have to grow our way out of this.”
The plan bears little resemblance to a platform you would expect of the fiscally conservative Liberals. Creating that environment for recovery will require at least five years of deficit spending and an $11-billion holiday from the provincial sales tax.
In addition to temporarily suspending the PST, Wilkinson has promised to replace the speculation and vacancy tax on empty homes, saying it punishes B.C. cabin owners.
He reiterated his promise to review all 23 taxes brought in by the NDP.
He wouldn't specifically say which of those taxes he wants to eliminate, except the employer health tax, which replaced Medical Services Plan premiums paid by individuals.
“There will be no return to MSP premiums,” said Wilkinson, noting that the employer health tax pays only $2 billion of B.C.'S annual $23-billion health budget. “Health care is comprehensively paid out of general revenue.”
Many of the new taxes will likely stay in place for the time being, as Wilkinson conceded that “this is not a time to be saying, ` abandon all revenue sources.'”
“We'll seek to get back to a balanced budget within five years of a vaccine, that to us is a pragmatic and responsible approach to financing government services,” he said.
The Liberal leader vowed to push forward with a 10-lane bridge between Richmond and Delta, even though the mayors of many of the communities it would serve have endorsed a tunnel instead.
“We had an approved bridge, it was already under construction and $95 million was spent and there's six kilometres of preload sand that's still out there covered in weeds,” he said.
The objections of local First Nations to the tunnel would probably result in “decades of litigation,” he added.
“We say it's time to be decisive and get on with the project ... to relieve the biggest traffic jam in Western Canada,” he said.
Wilkinson's seemingly offthe-cuff promise to hold a referendum in Surrey over the city's switch from the RCMP to a municipal police force was the result of old-fashioned campaigning. “That's the attraction of elections
as you get out and meet people on the doorstep,” he said.
“We were surprised just how strongly people felt on the doorstep throughout Surrey, saying they didn't know what's going on with this police transition and particularly didn't know the cost. If it's their No. 1 issue, then let's give them a chance to have a say in it,” he added.
“First of all, get full transparent information out there. Secondly, have a referendum so the people of Surrey can decide on this.”
Wilkinson defended his handling of candidates with socially conservative views, an issue the NDP has consistently weaponized against the Liberals during this election
campaign. Chilliwack-kent candidate Laurie Throness resigned this week as a Liberal candidate after comparing free birth control for “poor people” to eugenics.
“I heard yesterday at lunchtime about Laurie Throness' statement, I was on the phone with them within two hours to end his candidacy,” he said.
“That happened within 30 seconds on that phone call, so that was a decisive move.”
The Liberals were already back on their heels after attacks on candidate Margaret Kunst, one of three Langley councillors who voted against a motion to create a rainbow crosswalk. On Friday, the New Democrats struck again,
accusing New Westminster candidate Lorraine Brett of transphobia for tweeting her approval of a controversial blog post by author J.K. Rowling.
“I gather the NDP is criticizing one of our candidates over something that she read in the past,” said Wilkinson, adding that he had not yet familiarized himself with the content of the blog.
“Over the years there are lots of controversial things said in a big tent party that tries to accommodate many different views,” Wilkinson said.
“But there are some core values, equality, fairness, opportunity, and respect for all British Columbians.”