With a provincial election on the horizon, you will not be surprised that we’ve been seeing a lot of spending announcements from Victoria.
The B.C. Liberals are doing what they, and the NDP and Social Credit Party before them, have always done – throw money at the electorate.
It’s hard to say no to the money, especially when it’s going to so many good causes.
Earlier this year, Premier Christy Clark was in Campbell River to announce that North Island College will be getting funding to revamp its trades building, and, two weeks ago, Minister Steve Thomson announced provincial monies for trades equipment for Campbell River secondary schools.
Scissors will be blunted from all the ribbons to be cut in a year’s time, when the money is spent.
It is a good time to spend money in British Columbia. The economy is in good shape, unemployment is low, and property transfer taxes have swollen government coffers.
But that was true a year ago, and two years ago, too.
And while there were plenty of projects announced, we didn’t see this same mad flurry of spending.
We’re left with the idea that either the government is spending too much right now – projects that could put the government into deficit spending – or that they could have spread this spending out over the last few years.
We’d rather see the government – any government, regardless of party – spend the money that needs to be spent, when it can be of the most use.
Having the government turn into a springtime Santa every four years may be good politics, but it’s not good governance for British Columbia.
–Black Press
