BC’s housing, economy expected to feature in throne speech

VICTORIA (NEWS 1130) – Goodies on the education and housing fronts are expected to be included in the province’s throne speech this afternoon.

The BC Liberal government has been happy to point to its economic record in recent years, particularly with many other parts of the country regularly running deficits.

But Alise Mills, who worked as a party strategist back when Gordon Campbell was premier, suggests there is room for improvement on the social side.

“I think the BC Liberals will start to then look at that surplus and maybe deliver it back to British Columbians, through education, housing, some of the more social sides and look at where they can increase on social issues by maximizing that surplus,” says Mills.

Mills also expects some mention of the current uncertainty in the world’s economy, and the fact that what happens elsewhere can have real effects here.

“I don’t think it’s so much about the protectionism from Donald Trump, I think it’s about how much nowadays the global economies can quickly affect Canada and British Columbia’s future as we saw with Alberta and the slump in oil prices.”

As for whether the BC Liberals face a challenge in holding onto power for a fifth term which could propel the party to 20 years in government, Mills is sounding a confident note.

“When you start to see the fiscal numbers, and you see the charts and you can see the consistency, the majority of British Columbians remember what it can be like in this province,” says Mills.

“We are unique in the country in the sense that we are very vulnerable to global markets here because of commodities and various other elements. I think people appreciate consistency and that’s going to give the BC Liberals a leg up.”

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