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Coalition bad for North: Harris |
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Written by GORDON HOEKSTRA
Citizen staff
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Monday, 01 December 2008 |
A Liberal-NDP coalition government is not good news for northern B.C., Cariboo-Prince George Conservative MP Dick Harris said Monday.
For example, since scrapping the coalition was an NDP idea in the federal election campaign this fall, the coalition could pursue that option, said Harris.
"Try to sell a stick of lumber across the border," Harris argued if the deal with the U.S. was terminated.
It was just one of a number of negative factors Harris cited as to what a coalition government might mean for the North.
In response, Skeena-Bulkley Valley NDP MP Nathan Cullen said that the coalition has a plan to introduce programs that would help the North.
The opposition coalition, which has the support of the Bloc Quebecois, has formed a pact to bring down the minority Conservative government next Monday. The coalition has advised Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean they are prepared to form government. Liberal leader Stephane Dion would be prime minister, the NDP would get cabinet posts and the coalition would be designed to last at least 18 months.
The opposition parties have said that the Conservatives are not reacting quickly enough or strongly enough to the economic turmoil the country if facing because of the global financial meltdown. The coalition is promising a multi-billion-dollar stimulus package to help both the auto and forest sectors.
In addition to his comments on the softwood lumber agreement, Harris questioned whether a Liberal-NDP coalition government would make the mountain pine beetle epidemic a priority. He said the federal Liberal government was slow to offer aid, putting up $100 million for B.C. at the 11th hour in 2005. The Conservatives have promised to spend $1 billion over a decade and have $800 million remaining to spend in the next seven years.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government also put up $1 billion last January in a community trust fund aimed at one-industry towns facing major downturns, or communities plagued by chronic, high unemployment, or regions hit by layoffs across a range of sectors. B.C. received $129 million which it has used for pension bridging for forestry workers, retraining and for work projects in communities like Fort St. James and Mackenzie.
"The Liberals know their strength is not in Western Canada, and you can bet that their focus will be on areas they believe they can improve their voting record," said Harris. "Is it good news for northern B.C.? I'm not jumping with joy at the thought of it."
Harris said it no longer matters what the Conservatives do, the coalition is bent on bringing them down.
The Conservatives have already backed down on scrapping public funding for political parties and from preventing public service unions from striking, but have made no additional promises on an additional stimulus package for the economy.
Harris said they have already taken steps to help the economy in the past year including cutting taxes, providing pension relief for seniors, cutting the GST and providing help to banks.
Cullen said the Tories' economic stimulus ideas have been dismissed and noted all they are promising is a budget at the end of January.
"It's a real missed opportunity -- after the last election the prime minister seemed somewhat chastened, seemed willing to work with people and immediately came in here and started squeezing people by the throats," said Cullen. "A minority parliament needs a kind of willingness, a willingness to be co-operative, humble and to take other suggestions," he said.
Cullen said there are a number of economic stimulus possibilities on his agenda.
He said he wants to see more support for the value-added wood industry, with loan guarantees much more extensive than the small ones offered so far. Cullen said he's also been working on an incentive package for exploration and mining companies in northern B.C. While the mining sector has had a couple of good years, it's stalling now, he said.
Cullen also wants to see the unemployment insurance program fixed, ensuing that more workers in the North are eligible for benefits when they need them.
"When an economy goes into a hole, you have to be very specific and focused about where you inject the money, and we're looking much more at the level of the average worker and family rather than multinational corporations," said Cullen.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 01 December 2008 )
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