VICTORIA – B.C. Liberal leadership candidate Todd Stone is announcing things for people today that he refused to do for people when he was in cabinet.
After 16 years of B.C. Liberal neglect, Stone now claims that he is committed to “doing more to assist young people transitioning out of government care and into adulthood, as well as removing barriers for British Columbians with disabilities.”
While Stone was a government cabinet minister, he actually had an opportunity to support youth in care and British Columbians with disabilities.
Instead:
- The former B.C. Liberal government raised the cost of bus passes for people with disabilities and froze income assistance and disability rates for ten years – forcing many British Columbians to make the impossible choice between food, shelter and the ability to get around.
- Stone’s B.C. Liberal government also failed to improve supports for youth aging out of government care despite being told to take action by the Representative for Children and Youth. They chose to continue failing children like Paige Gauthier, whose belongings were dropped off in a garbage bag at her last known school when she aged out, just 11 months before she died.
In just our first 100 days, the B.C. New Democrat government has already taken steps to increase supports for British Columbians with disabilities and young people aging out of foster care:
Increasing income assistance and disability payments by $100 a month
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2017PREM0065-001330
Increasing earnings exemptions for people on income and disability assistance by $200 a month
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2017SDPR0057-001597
Bringing back the B.C. Disability Bus Pass
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2017SDPR0060-001661
Making post-secondary education free for former children in care
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2017PREM0076-001509
Keeping Indigenous families together and improving outcomes for children in care