MLA Report, By Norm Macdonald

Governing is all about making choices. The government can choose to give a tax break to the banks. The government can choose to increase the cost of long-term care for seniors.

The government could also choose to make sure that large corporations paid their fair share. The government could choose to ensure that seniors have access to affordable seniors services.

At the same time as the BC Liberal government is giving a $100 million dollar tax cut to the banks it is making life more and more expensive for seniors.  

The list of government-driven increased costs to seniors is a long one.  

For instance, the HST, which is a tax shift away from big business on to individuals, is particularly hard on seniors. Those who are living on a fixed income have no opportunity to increase their income to cover an extra cost like the HST. They simply have reduce their spending on other necessities.  

That’s a choice that this government made; less tax for big business, more tax for seniors.

The BC Liberal government also increased Medical Service Plan (MSP) premiums and fees for long-term care. While the government tries to make the argument that everyone just has to pay their share, these increased fees are pushing seniors into poverty.

When I speak with people in my area, they state their priorities very clearly. I’ve never heard someone say that seniors should pay more. No one has ever told me that large corporations are paying too much tax.

Ten years of BC Liberal budgets have made life harder for seniors. It’s time for British Columbia to have a government that has the same priorities that you do.

Norm Macdonald (NDP) is the MLA for Columbia River – Revelstoke. He contributes his MLA Report on a regular basis.