A throne speech sounds a little bit different in an election year.

Last week’s throne speech and this week’s budget are noteworthy milestones along the way as B.C. draws closer to its spring election campaign.

There is only so much the Legislature will be to accomplish between now and May 9, when a newly elected government will have a fresh mandate. So this year’s budget won’t exactly be a projection of the year ahead. It’s more an affirmation of one party’s priorities, and we’ll keep in mind that the Liberals aren’t only governing, they’re also campaigning. The same will be true of the NDP’s certain criticisms of the coming budget — they’re fulfilling their duty as official opposition, but they’re in all-out campaign mode, too.

Because of this, British Columbians might not put a lot of stock in the throne speech and budget, but we should. There are a lot of words that get thrown around in an election campaign, but a budget, at least, represents action, and it’s among the best metrics we will have when we make up our minds about how to vote.

On our province’s political spectrum – which also includes the Conservatives and Greens – there will be distinctions in the policies and promises we’re hearing. This week’s budget and opposition reaction, will attempt to sharpen the contrast between the various parties on taxes, health care, energy, education and more.

We, as voters, will be presented with a budget, we will hear it praised and panned, and then we will play a part in determining how much of it ever comes to pass.

– Black Press