After much speculation, Lieutenant Governor Judith Guichon delivered the throne speech in the BC Legislature this afternoon.
The Liberals promised to ban corporate and union donations to political parties, hold a referendum on electoral reform and create a new Ministry for Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery – all major talking points for the NDP during the election campaign.
Yesterday, Premier Clark promised major investments into childcare, the environment and a province-wide poverty reduction plan – all of which were in the speech.
Before it was even complete, the BC Federation of Labour called the speech brazen and desperate.
BCers will see throne speech for what it is—part of Christy Clark’s desperate game to cling to power. https://t.co/pYH00tsVkf #bcpoli
— BCFED (@bcfed) June 22, 2017
Rural communities also featured prominently in the speech.
“The wealth of our province has always depended on the understand that the future of our urban and rural communities is inextricably linked one cannot succeed without the other. And although most of our population lives in thriving urban centers, we must never forget that those who live in smaller communities make as big an impact on our province.”
The Liberals are proposing to double the rural economic dividend, open 8 news mines within 5 years and invest 18 million to improve permitting, oversight and compliance in the industry.
MLAs will now debate the speech before voting on whether to support it.
You can find the full speech here.