Public Affairs Update Header
Issue No. 3February 28, 2012
In This Issue
BC Government Releases 2012/13 Budget
BC Government Announces Plans to sell off BC Liquor Distribution System
Breakfast with Minister Blair Lekstrom - Transportation & Infrastructure
Criticism Builds Over 2012/13 Budget
BCTF and Province Negotiation Unlikely to Reach Agreement
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The Public Affairs Update is your weekly insight, perspective and analysis on politics in British Columbia and Canada.  This newsletter is brought to you by the largest, and most broadly-based business organization in the province, the BC Chamber of Commerce - the Voice of Business in BC.

BC Government Releases 2012/13 Budget

 

The B.C. government announced the 2012/13 Budget last Tuesday . Key highlights of the Budget included:

Falcon - Budget 2012

  • Government spending over the next three years will average 2%
  • Economic growth forecasts of 1.8, 2.2 and 2.5% over the next three years - below the rates projected by the private sector and the government's economic forecast council
  • $800-million in contingency funds over the next three years
  • A reduction of the civil service by more than 2,000 people by the end of 2014/15
  • A minimal increase of the K-12 education budget from $5.2-billion in 2011/12 to $5.3-billion
  • Health Ministry spending to increase by an average of less than 3% a year.

Additional Facts & Figures are available here

 

BC Government Announces Plans to sell off BC Liquor Distribution System

 

Liquor Distribution BranchAs part of the Budget 2012 released last week, Premier Christy Clark has announced that the government will be privatizing the BC Liquor warehousing and distribution system. The province will be selling off surplus assets in an effort to raise at least $700 million in order to balance the budget next year.

 

This announcement is a major success for Chambers of Commerce in BC. The policy Levelling the Playing Field for Liquor Retailing in BC (2011) advocates for open competition in distribution and retail for private businesses with the Liquor Distribution Branch and Government Liquor Stores.

 

The government has not yet released details as to what the system will look like or to what extent their involvement in the sale of liquor will be.

 

Breakfast with Minister Blair Lekstrom - Transportation & Infrastructure 

Blair Lekstrom 

Members and future members of the BC Chamber of Commerce are invited to join the Honourable Blair Lekstrom, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure for a networking breakfast.

 

Minister Lekstrom will address the infrastructure investments BC will need to meet its Asia Pacific initiative obligations - both in the Lower Mainland and Prince Rupert.

 

Event Details:

 

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Terminal City Club

837 West Hastings StreetVancouver, BC

7:00 am - 7:30 am Registration & Networking

7:30 am - 9:00 am Breakfast & Presentation

 

Online Registration - Registration Form

 

Criticism Builds Over 2012/13 Budget

 

The Budget, released on Tuesday by the B.C. government, was criticized by NDP Finance Opposition Critic, Bruce Ralston, in an editorial to The Vancouver Sun


Ralston claimed that the Budget is no different from previous Liberal Budgets and that it negatively impacts working families and the middle class.

Other concerns expressed by The Opposition focused on the lack of investment in education, training in the forestry industry, and the justice system.

 

BCTF and Province Negotiation Unlikely to Reach Agreement

 

The Assistant Deputy Minister of Industrial Relations, Trevor Hughes, delivered a Report outlining the likelihood of a voluntarily negotiated agreement between the BC Teachers' Federation (BCTF) and the BC Public School Employers' Association (BCPSEA). 

 

Hughes concluded that a negotiated settlement was unlikely to be reached. Subsequently Hon. George Abbott, Minister of Education, instructed his staff to prepare a legislated agreement.

 


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This weekly report produced for the BC Chamber of Commerce by Fleishman-Hillard.  While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information included in this publication as of the date of issue, events and government policies are subject to frequent change.  Therefore, the BC Chamber of Commerce and Fleishman-Hillard cannot assume any responsibility for actions taken solely or principally on the basis on the information contained herein.