Maybe, just maybe Christy Clark and the B.C. Liberals are getting their heads out of their Lower Mainland. But then there’s Todd.
A few weeks back, I suggested that Northwest B.C.’s share of the provincial pie, made mainly by Northern ingredients, was long overdue.
Well, on Friday we got a small slice.
In an announcement last week, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development Coralee Oakes said communities such as Port Edward and Prince Rupert would be receiving up to $1 million to handle resource development growth pressures.
To her credit, she said she saw that the paltry $150,000 promised earlier by Clark was not enough.
“I went back with what I had heard from the communities and I said ‘look, this isn’t really going to be enough to help the communities to prepare,'” she said in an article on Page 2 of The Northern View.
The “up to” one million dollars is welcome but certainly a long way from what will be needed — sooner rather than later.
But give ’em credit, it’s a start … and it’s not even an election year.
That said, Todd Stone still has his head stuck up his Coquihalla. The Kamloops-South Thompson MLA and Minister of Transport, continues to punish the North Coast for the temerity of electing a NDP member.
Punish is not a strong enough word, but it will have to suffice as this is a G-rated newspaper.
Stone suggested a while back that if, MIA, er, MLA Jennifer Rice wanted her ferry routes back on the North Coast, she might want to support LNG.
John Horgan, the man who won the job nobody wanted and Rice’s new boss, has publicly pledged NDP support of LNG development.
For the love of God Jennifer, do what your boss is telling you to do and give Todd what he wants and let’s get our ferry service back.
As you so eloquently pointed out in your speech to the Legislature, design companies and bed and breakfasts will be tremendously injured.
But Jennifer and Todd, the ferry cuts go much deeper.
Other companies and people, like, I dunno, every damn, er, darn business and person on Haida Gwaii or the North Coast is, and will be, hurting.
As Shaun Thomas pointed out in last week’s The Northern View front page article about full sailings, waitlists and essential supplies piling up awaiting a ferry, the idiocy of Stone’s decision is not only apparent — it borders on petulant.
Todd you made a mistake. Now fix it.
You are embarassing a proud first name — Minister.
