Reports from the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention in Whistler last week sounded more like reports from a session of the provincial legislature.
Much of that is undoubtedly posturing from a few municipal leaders who are striving to boost their images just two months before civic elections. Still, it was surprising just how much of the media coverage centred on diverse positions and even a few outright confrontations over issues ranging from BC Ferries’ fares and cutbacks, to Kinder Morgan’s plans for a twinned oil pipeline and what Premier Christy Clark labelled “excessive” municipal spending.
There was far more outright opposition to provincial government policies than what is often seen in the B.C. Legislature from opposition MLAs. Part of that is undoubtedly the fact that the legislature has usually sat only once each year. This year is an exception, with a fall session set to begin next week.
In thinking about some of the municipal opposition and the provincial issues local politicians were getting exercised about, it occurred to me that the Clark government may be setting itself up to be a “watch every expenditure” type of government — something that we really haven’t seen in this province since the days of W.A.C. Bennett.
The constant push throughout the teachers’ strike was that the province wanted a negotiated settlement, and it would not agree to a pay hike any different from those already settled. It got its way on both fronts.
Clark appointed Peter Fassbender to the education minister’s position because she wanted someone who would be firm and not cave under pressure. That’s what he did.
The transportation minister, Todd Stone, is under similar pressure on BC Ferries. He has shown no sign of caving, even an inch, despite a report on the severe economic impact that ferry fare hikes and cuts have caused. He really does have a heart of stone on the issue.
Clark herself gave the best example of the government’s focus on spending, when she chided municipal leaders for the high wage settlements they have agreed to over the past decade, in her keynote speech. She didn’t open a bag of goodies — she tossed a few pointed barbs at civic leaders, who have ramped up their spending dramatically in the past decade, and still want the federal and provincial governments to hand over even more.
It seemed to me that she may be daring the municipal leaders to keep overspending — and then she will bring down the hammer on them.
There is a precedent here. School boards used to have a considerable amount of leeway in their spending, and taxing authority. That power was taken away when a small number abused it. Boards now have almost no say over their budgets.
Municipalities are, at their heart, creatures of the provincial government. If Clark wants to be known as a premier who thinks about taxpayers first, she may wish to polish that reputation in a showdown with municipal leaders — some of whom consider themselves members, if not the real leaders, of Her Majesty’s loyal opposition.
