It was not the most goody-laden speech, as Christy Clark herself conceded Friday in delivering the annual premier's address to the convention of the Union of B.C. Municipalities.
"The price tag is admittedly modest," Clark acknowledged in announcing $30 million in funding for recreational facilities, an amount that translated into an average $150,000 for each of the almost 200 UBCM member local governments.
Nor was there much in the way of upfront dollars in the other smidgen of news in the speech, a renewed push to extend high-speed Internet access to rural communities.
Clark also defied the mood in the room on one point, when she vowed to go ahead with an auditor-general to oversee municipal governments.
The prospect of being subjected to value-for-money auditing by a provincially appointed official had local government leaders in a huff, though one didn't note a corresponding reluctance on their part to avoid the provincial bailiwick.
The UBCM passed motions challenging BC Hydro on smart meters and demanding reduced ferry fares, among other second-guessing of provincial entities on policy and fiscal matters.
Clark, acknowledging in passing the roughing up her own government received from provincial auditor-general John Doyle this week, said that auditors-general have proven their worth to taxpayers over the years, even if their findings are sometimes painful for the governments targeted for scrutiny.
She did try to soften the blow for turf-sensitive locals by promising that the provincial government will cover the full cost of the office, a hint that the municipal auditor-general may be sharing office space and resources with Doyle.
Other than the silence that greeted that passage in the speech, Clark was interrupted by a lot of applause (I listened over a phone line), particularly during an upbeat recitation of her jobs strategy, which is as much a motivational pitch as an economic plan.
The reception was also helped by the premier and local government leaders being on the same side on the biggest issue of the week, namely the troubled talks with Ottawa to renew RCMP policing services in the province.
Clark, in her speech, reiterated that the outstanding issue for her government, like the municipalities, was a greater measure of financial accountability, both levels being fed up with their lack of say over the cost of services, benefits and so forth.
But from where I sit, the most newsworthy aspect of the story was the sharp-edged public dispute between the federal and provincial governments, a rarity during the B.C. Liberal decade in office.
The breach was exacerbated by Vic Toews, the federal public safety minister, complaining that he'd been blindsided by his provincial counterpart, Solicitor-General Shirley Bond. She went public on the talks standoff without telling him beforehand that she would do so, a lapse that was confirmed at the provincial end.
Then, too, this was the second such episode in a little over a week, the earlier one having occurred Sept. 19 when the premier launched her jobs strategy at the port of Prince Rupert. She announced a $15-million provincial contribution to expand the port and said a further $15 million would be sought from Ottawa.
The feds were indeed mulling a matching contribution, but wanted the province to wait until they'd completed due diligence at their end. Clark went ahead anyway, believing her own agenda more important than the risk of a few ruffled feathers in Ottawa.
She might want to be more solicitous of federal goodwill. With her roots in the Liberal side of the provincial coalition, she was already suspect among Conservatives. It wouldn't take many incidents like the two cited above to seriously damage the relationship with Ottawa.
Friday also saw Clark cut the ground from under her minister of health, Mike de Jong, who'd mused openly to my colleague Jonathan Fowlie about whacking smokers for higher medicare premiums.
A complete non-starter, the premier told reporters. Poor de Jong. He's accomplished next to nothing of public note during six low-profile months as health minister. And when he does open his mouth, the premier has to stopper it.
Last, there's the thing that wasn't happening in the provincial capital Friday, which is to say any mood of anticipation about the coming speech from the throne Monday.
Not the least amount of buzz in recent memory - that preceded last February's placeholder throne speech from the departing Gordon Campbell administration.
Still, considering this will be the first throne speech from a new premier, it is expected to field a relatively light agenda. Legislation to create the municipal auditor-general, remake the teachers' college, and bolster the jobs strategy. Perhaps measures dealing with health care and water quality.
But otherwise, the emphasis will be like the revamped logo for the B.C. Liberal party. Have you seen it? "Liberal" and "Clark" in small blue type. "B.C." and "Christy" in large red type. The B.C. Christy Party. That's still pretty much the main message from this government.
