VICTORIA – Premier Christy Clark backed down on every major commitment she has made around LNG in today’s Throne Speech, said New Democrat leader John Horgan.
“It’s hard to take Christy Clark at her word any more. She knows what to say, but then does what she wants,” said Horgan.
“In previous throne speeches, there was nothing the LNG industry couldn’t do for this province. It would create 100,000 jobs and eliminate the provincial debt. We would no longer need a sales tax, and a hundred-billion-dollar Prosperity Fund would appear. All those promises were gone in today’s speech.”
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In this speech, the industry that Clark called “one of the greatest economic opportunities our province has ever seen” in the February 2013 Throne Speech has now become “a chance – not a windfall,” and a way to help government pay the bills for provincial services.
The speech shows that Premier Clark is better at telling British Columbians what they want to hear than she is at keeping her promises, said Horgan.
“Just look at her promises around LNG. She promised jobs, then turned around and signed an agreement to bring in temporary foreign workers. She promised the cleanest LNG facilities in the world, but now she only talks about displacing emissions in China.
“She promised a return for British Columbians, but now she is in secret negotiations with Petronas to get the industry to determine what British Columbians will get for our resource.”
Horgan says he hopes the premier’s promises of a comprehensive legislative framework for LNG are more substantial than the rest of her LNG commitments.
“The legislation won’t be comprehensive unless it includes express guarantees of jobs and training opportunities for British Columbians and a fair return for our resources, and ensures that the industry benefits First Nations and protects our land, air and water,” he said.
The premier also used the speech to reach out to the people of Likely, B.C.
“Premier Clark flew up to Likely to do a photo op after the Mount Polley mine disaster. Then she never went back. Today she is saying that everything is going to be fine, but in reality she is doing nothing for small business owners who have lost everything, and for a community where the water is still not safe to drink,” said Horgan.
The Throne Speech also touted other broken B.C. Liberal promises, like the premier’s so-called “jobs plan.” While that plan has been in place, B.C. has had Canada’s second worst private sector job growth.
“People in this province want to hear that their government is creating jobs and opportunities – the premier is right about that. What they don’t need are more empty promises from a premier who doesn’t deliver,” said Horgan.