News Releases

Scating Report Highlights Government Failure to Help Seniors

February 15, 2012

(VICTORIA) — Tuesday’s report by the ombudsperson is a scathing indictment of the government record on seniors care in British Columbia, say the Official Opposition.

On Tuesday, Ombudsperson Kim Carter released a 400-page report entitled Best of Care, with 143 findings and 176 specific recommendations to fix the problems created by the government.

Government Needs to Address Massive Court Delays

February 7, 2012

(VICTORIA) — As the premier prepares to attend a roundtable discussion on public safety issues in the Okanagan today, the deepening crisis in B.C.’s court system remains unaddressed, says Leonard Krog, Opposition critic for the Attorney General.

“Addressing the massive court delays in this province should be a priority for any public safety plan,” said Krog, the MLA for Nanaimo. “The government has a responsibility to ensure criminals get prosecuted in a timely way and the public has the resources necessary to access justice.”

OAS Changes Could Cost BC Seniors Nearly $1 Billon

February 5, 2012

(VICTORIA) — The government needs to speak out about possible changes to the Old Age Security (OAS) system that could cost B.C. seniors nearly a billion dollars a year.

In Davos last week, Prime Minister Stephen Harper proposed increasing the minimum age to qualify for OAS to 67. If the changes took effect in 2015, it would cost 114,000 British Columbians at least $6,500 annually – and up to $12,000 annually for seniors accessing the Guaranteed Income Supplement.

Opposition Urges Reinstatement of Needs-Based Student Grants on National Day of Action

February 1, 2012

(KELOWNA) — As students across Canada stand together to call for a well-funded, high-quality, public post secondary education system, the Official Opposition is calling on the government to reinstate needs-based student grants.

“Ten years of tuition increases and the elimination of grants by the government have made pursuing higher education increasingly difficult,” said Adrian Dix, Opposition leader, as he joined advanced education critic Michelle Mungall, other Opposition MLAs and students at the University of British Columbia Okanagan today.

BC Stats Report says Income Inequality Gap Growing Larger Under Current Government

January 31, 2012

(VANCOUVER) — A report released Friday by the B.C. government itself condemns government policies that have put B.C. “dead last” in disparity between the highest and lowest income earners.

“For too long the government has denied that economic inequality exists in a big way in British Columbia,” said Opposition finance critic Bruce Ralston. “But this report from B.C. Stats shows that not only is B.C. at the bottom of the pile, but government policies played a big part in getting us there.”

Government Must Take Stronger Stance on Federal Crime Bill

January 27, 2012

(VICTORIA) — British Columbians need the government to take a stronger stand with the Harper government on downloaded costs associated with the federal omnibus crime bill.

“Frankly, our B.C. court and prison systems are already overstretched even before hundreds of millions in new costs from the federal omnibus crime bill,” said Opposition solicitor general critic Kathy Corrigan. “While the federal crime bill contains measures to make our streets safer, in B.C. it could have the opposite effect if it isn’t funded by the federal government.

Ferries Report Shows Major Flaws in Government Management

January 24, 2012

(VICTORIA) — A report released today by B.C. Ferry Commissioner Gord Macatee provides more evidence of the government’s failure to ensure the corporation is accountable to ferry users and exposes major flaws with the government's Coastal Ferry Act, says Opposition ferry critic Gary Coons.

CLBC Report Confirms Government Denied Long Standing Problems with Community Living BC

January 19, 2012

(VANCOUVER) — The government today released a long awaited report that acknowledge many of the shortcomings in the community living sector the government previously denied.

“When the government chose to consistently deny that Community Living B.C. (CLBC) was in trouble, causing great suffering for individuals and families living with development disabilities, the Opposition made addressing the crisis its top priority inside and outside the legislature,” said Opposition leader Adrian Dix.

Opposition Calls on Government to Address Post-Secondary Affordability

January 19, 2012

(BURNABY) — As another semester gets under way at post-secondary institutions across the province, students see no relief in sight when it comes to high debt load, said the Official Opposition.

“Ten years of tuition increases and the elimination of grants by the government has made pursuing higher education increasingly difficult, especially for students from low and middle income households,” said Shane Simpson, MLA for Vancouver – Hastings, as he joined MLA Raj Chouhan at Simon Fraser University’s Clubs’ Days today.

Cuts to Federal Health Transfer Payments Undermine BC's Ability to Improve Health Care

January 17, 2012

(VICTORIA) — Premier Christy Clark’s support for federal health transfer payment cuts undermines British Columbia’s ability to improve care and support innovations that generate savings in the longer term, says Opposition health critic Mike Farnworth.

As the Council of the Federation to discuss the 2014 health care accord drew to a close, Clark announced the province would be part of a national working group that would consider health care innovations.