Last Friday, the NDP presented their throne speech for their upcoming legislative session. There have been a number of comments on the speech - ranging from approval to non-committal to disparaging remarks.
After all, the speech re-iterates much of what was promised in the campaign and doesn't promise a whole bunch more. It is a post-election outline for how the government proposes to proceed with it promises and plans. It is short on details and long on rhetoric.
The speech starts with a depressing tone - wildfires, opioids, homelessness and housing, and an in memoriam which noted the passing of many prominent British Columbians. One of those individuals - sports trailblazer Barbara Howard - was my elementary school teacher. She will be missed former students and friends.
The throne speech moved on to a section titled "Government that works for people," which is how it should always be. We elect MLAs and MPs to work for us and to take our concerns to the Legislature or to Parliament. We pay them to be our voice. Both the politicians and the bureaucracy should remember they work for the people of this province. It is here we hear the government outline some of its vision for its term in office:
"Young people dream of a post-secondary education. But high tuition and housing costs have put many of those dreams out of reach. Students graduate with a burden of debt that holds them back just as they are starting out.
"Parents need safe, affordable childcare. Yet many must leave the workforce because wait lists are too long, spaces aren't available, or care is just too expensive.
"And the people in B.C.'s rural and remote regions, who deserve the same opportunities as all other British Columbians, face higher unemployment and have fewer services in their communities."
There are more details on the list but little to suggest how the NDP are planning to address some of these issues. It is all well and good to say "We will listen, deal honestly with the problems facing us today, and bring people together to find solutions." but which people and what solutions?
Having spent the last 16 years in opposition, one would hope the NDP have a solid plan for how they would do things differently. It is not clearly articulated in the throne speech but may be revealed in the weeks ahead.
From my perspective, as someone working in post-secondary education, the NDP spent a lot of time talking about education at all levels. This is a critical step in economic growth and security. Having students graduate who are capable of meeting unfilled positions and industry demands is important to ensuring business in the province stays in the province.
It is also important to ensure businesses grow. If an employer can't find capable employees then they will move. Much more important than cutting taxes for a business is having the necessary resources to be able to produce a product and, in our present economy, those resources are people.
But I would also argue the focus cannot be solely on "trades training" unless this is some new way of referring to physiotherapy, occupational therapy, or engineering. All three are degree programs that should be available in Prince George to qualified students.
Indeed, if the government is seriously interested in normalizing the opportunities for "people in B.C.'s rural and remote regions", then it will need to invest in the colleges and universities outside of the Lower Mainland. We don't need more institutions but the NDP need to allow the institutions we have to grow to meet the demands of the regions they serve.
This is particularly true of a university education. A StatsCan report on university graduates showed they typically end up working within a 100 kilometres of where they get their degrees.
This has been borne out by the Northern Medical Program. Not all NMP graduates stay in Prince George or the north but enough to demonstrate the effectiveness of localized education. If UNBC and the northern colleges are allowed to expand the opportunities for students, the labour shortages will begin to be addressed.
The throne speech ends by saying "The road ahead won't be easy. It will take time for the better choices this government is making to take hold..." and this has always been true. Changes at the level where governments operate take time and patience. Some may even be take years or generations.
But the time to start acting upon those changes is now. Hopefully, with the agenda laid out, the NDP have committed to moving forward as a province and working towards the goals we all seek - economic security, a healthy life and a future for our children.
