After more than two years of a BC NDP government, British Columbians are feeling the pain of a rapid decline in forestry, huge increases in Insurance Corp. of British Columbia premiums and no relief in sight for affordable housing.
Our province is large and diverse, but the issues facing British Columbians need effective leadership, which John Horgan has failed to provide. Forestry is critical to our province, as are the people who live and work in forestry-dependent communities. Small businesses shouldn’t be burdened with heavy-handed taxes meant to fill government bank accounts at any cost. And drivers deserve choice in their auto insurance, not just a state-run monopoly that regularly sends out shocking invoices to young British Columbians.
John Horgan and his “NDP knows best” style of governing may work for their friends and insiders, but the NDP pattern of picking enemies and deciding who will be a winner or a loser does not serve the citizens of British Columbia.
Over the past year, we have witnessed the worst crisis the forestry industry has experienced in 40 years, and we have yet to see any meaningful action from John Horgan. There have been more than 100 mill curtailments as well as 10 permanent and indefinite shutdowns. This leaves thousands of British Columbians out of work and creates serious uncertainty for the families and loved ones of those impacted. We proposed a five-point action plan that would have provided tax relief and assistance to our troubled forestry sector but John Horgan and the NDP chose to ignore it. When the forestry sector suffers, so does the entire province, and without a government willing to show leadership on this issue, the situation will only get worse.
Tax after tax has hit small businesses across British Columbia. 2019 began with the NDP double-dipping into business taxpayers’ pockets by collecting both Medical Services Plan premiums and their replacement, the Employer Health Tax. This has been devastating to the countless bakeries, corner stores, restaurants and other local small businesses that simply cannot keep up with the aggressive pace of taxation under the NDP.
Massive property taxes are being demanded on the unused air space above shops and non-profits in the Lower Mainland, forcing many to simply shut down. We introduced legislation this fall that would allow local governments to tax small businesses at a lower rate rather than the traditional highest and best use. Unfortunately, the NDP chose to ignore it and left businesses on the hook for another year of sky-high taxes. It is bizarre that the NDP government came to power on bold promises of increasing affordability and helping small business, but since taking power has introduced 19 new or increased taxes. Governments cannot tax their way to prosperity.
Perhaps the most important conversation leading into the next election is the need for choice in auto insurance for B.C. drivers. The NDP has tied itself to a 45-year-old state-run monopoly that just doesn’t work anymore. We need to have a complete overhaul of auto insurance in our province. The NDP has decided to dump more money into this broken system, but we think it’s time to find solutions that work for drivers, not the government. Let’s look at the best examples of auto insurance from across Canada and around the world to see how they stack up against our current model. Let British Columbians choose what they want, because it surely isn’t continued NDP rate increases.
The next few months will show the path the NDP is planning to take British Columbians down as we head towards a 2021 election. John Horgan has already spent every last penny of taxpayer money left in the bank by the former government. With no plan to expand the economy or make B.C. competitive for businesses, it is now apparent that the largest source of revenue for the NDP is increased taxation of you and me – the taxpayers of British Columbia.
If we want to ensure that there is real opportunity for all of B.C., we need to stop the NDP attacks on small business, and encourage all sizes of business to prosper so that everyone in B.C. can look forward to good employment and a brighter future. •
Andrew Wilkinson is leader of the BC Liberal Party and MLA for Vancouver-Quilchena.
