[LabComm] Six years of cuts, now 13 years of waiting

[BC NDP Newswire]

Six years of cuts, now 13 years of waiting



<strong>NDP Leader Carole James on Gordon Campbell's environmental record</strong>

VICTORIA -- NDP Leader Carole James today reminded the Legislature that Gordon Campbell's track record on the environment shows there's good reason to doubt that he'll keep the many promises made in yesterday's Throne Speech.

In her formal reply to the government's Throne Speech, James recalled how the themes of earlier speeches from the Throne -- including children, seniors, the "heartlands" -- were too often followed by inaction, cuts and broken commitments.

"In the past, BC Liberal Throne Speeches and budgets have provided insight into what the Premier fears are his political vulnerabilities. But they have always been a terrible barometer of the government's true intentions.

"Last year, the Throne Speech promised transformative change in health care. But that transformation only resulted in more chaos.

James noted that Campbell's sudden interest in the environment comes after six years of deep cuts to environmental protection in BC and that even if Campbell keeps the many promises made yesterday, it will still be 13 years before any specific targets kick in.

<strong>Excerpt from the speech</strong>

"Not that long ago, in remarks to a small gathering of supporters, the Premier defended burning dirty coal by arguing that it didn't matter what BC did because our impact on the world stage was so small.

And of course it was not all that long ago, that the Premier fired the Commissioner for Environment and Sustainability.

Not that long ago the Premier scrapped the climate change action plan that established targets and set goals.

Not that long ago he gutted the environmental assessment act.

Not that long ago he cut over 1,000 environmental protection officers, eliminated over 800 forest service jobs, axed the climate change working group, and spoke out against Kyoto.

Mr. Speaker, it was not that long ago that the Premier eliminated the Ministry of the Environment altogether.

And now he's asking British Columbians to believe that he cares about climate change.

But the question remains, Mr. Speaker.

Has the Premier really changed, or has he just changed his story to suit his political ends?"

To read the full text of Carole James's response to the Throne Speech, <a href="http://nid-16473.newsdetail.bcndp.ca/">click here.</a>

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