PST, where are thee?
Three months since the HST referendum passed and still no sign of the Liberal government’s plan to transition back to the PST. Not only are families stuck paying an extra 7 per cent on many household items, but the B.C. Liberal government has left the construction and tourism industry in complete economic uncertainty.
The Urban Development Institute (UDI), the Canadian Home Builders Association and the B.C. Real Estate Association have all said it’s hurting their industries. The UDI has told us they’re putting 2,000 units on hold; that’s 8,000 jobs that won’t happen until this government comes up with a set of clear rules for the transition. The Canadian Home Builders Association in a recent report of its members on the HST, said that the HST “is choking the ability for builders and renovators to continue as the small business owners that form the backbone of the province.” Their members went on to say that it demonstrates “the anxiety and devastation that is becoming a reality in our industry, and the resulting fallout of lost human capital as jobs are lost.” Our caucus is pushing hard for the government to take action. Jagrup Brar our critic for small business put forward a motion in the house calling on the government to “fast-track the elimination of the HST and re-implement the GST/PST system in order to bring economic stability to the province and assist small businesses in creating jobs in British Columbia.” The B.C. Liberal government refused to support the motion, instead choosing to leave all questions unanswered. For the transition back to the PST to work, we need clarity, we need the date that the HST will be gone, and we need to know the steps the government is going to take to get there.
Hunger count leaves bad taste
Food Banks Canada’s annual hunger count has been released. In March of this year 90,193 British Columbians accessed a food bank, 31.8 per cent of them were children and youth. Although food bank use has dropped 4.4 per cent since 2010, it is still 15 per cent higher than it was in 2008. Food bank usage is a strong indicator of a community’s economic strength; we cannot be satisfied with these numbers. When 46 per cent of those that access a food bank are already on some sort of social assistance, we know the system is failing them. A food bank should be a last resort, not a solution to poor government services. We must strengthen our social safety net as well as focus on our economic recovery so we can provide well paying jobs to all British Columbians. It is not only the most vulnerable in our society who need food banks; it is working families, pensioners, even students turn to food banks. Many people will be depending on the food bank this holiday season. Please help me in assisting our neighbors; now until Dec 22nd I will be collecting non-perishable food items at my community office at 2365 East Hastings St. Stop by, say hello, and give what you can. Thank you in advance for your generosity.
Session over but work not done
Now that the fall session is complete, I wanted to give you an overview of the work that my caucus colleagues and I have been doing. This session we have been holding the government to account on a range of fundamental issues, from economic concerns, to issues around inequality. Through the hard work of our caucus we have fought for the fair treatment of people with developmental disabilities and their families. We advocated for the Victims of Woodlands School against unfair compensation guidelines; we also urged the government to adopt practical solutions to deal with unemployment during this economic downturn. The government response has been consistent inaction; this government’s complacency is leading B.C. down the wrong path. We also spent the session proposing practical ideas, such as a designated senior’s advocate, and a new sustainable development board which would report to policy makers about key indicators of economic, environmental and social progress. I introduced my Poverty Reduction Act that would help half a million Britsh Columbians. These steps would improve the lives of people in British Columbia and move us towards a more equitable province. It has been a busy fall session, and a privilege to represent you in the legislature this past year. I look forward to the challenges and opportunities that will arise in the new year. To find out more about the work I am doing please visit www.shanesimpson.ca or feel free to contact my office at 604-775-2277, or e-mail me at shane.simpson.mla@leg.bc.ca
