VICTORIA – British Columbians could be facing significant cuts to vital services like health care as the federal government balances its budget on the backs of the provinces, say the New Democrats.

The federal Parliamentary Budget Officer confirmed Friday that Ottawa is only able to meet its financial targets by slashing transfer payments to the province. That’s bad news for British Columbians, said New Democrat finance critic Mike Farnworth.

“The Liberals have left very little wiggle room in their budget, so the continuing tendency of Ottawa to reduce transfer payments will hammer B.C.” said Farnworth. “The Liberals have shown no willingness to defend public services, so cuts to transfers from the federal government will likely be passed along as cuts to the programs British Columbians depend on.”

On Friday, New Democrats revealed that the Liberal government was considering cuts to legal aid services to help the justice ministry meet its allocated budget. Farnworth said as these spending cuts get downloaded, more ministries will be facing financial crunches. We already know that changes to Old Age Security rules and the costs of the federal crime bill will also be downloaded onto the provincial budget.

The changes to federal health spending alone could cost British Columbians $5.9 billion over 10 years when it comes into effect in 2014.

“We’re talking about vital services that British Columbians rely on,” said Farnworth, “and the Liberal government refuses to tell people the truth about how federal cuts will impact those services.

“The Liberals have never demanded that Ottawa live up to its historical obligations to provincial transfers,” said Farnworth. “British Columbians need a government that advocates on its behalf, yet the Liberals have completely abdicated that responsibility.”

The B.C. New Democrats believe that governments should be devoting resources to key public services like health care and education.