BC Conservatives have a number of common sense ideas, which we believe can indeed provide a better education system, for students -- teachers -- and parents

The BC Teachers Federation recently asked the leaders of BC's political parties, their thoughts on a number of questions.  Here are the questions, and the responses made by BC Conservative party leader John Cummins. 


Question 1: Teachers are feeling battered after a decade of cutbacks and restrictions on bargaining rights. What can you offer that would restore some hope of improvement?  

I think that the reality is that, here in British Columbia, there is a crying need for people with the skills necessary to obtain the educational resources, if you will, necessary to lead productive lives and of course it starts right at the beginning, it starts in elementary schools, secondary schools, and then there has to be obviously the post-secondary institutions that are ready to help prepare these people to lead productive lives. 

We see now in British Columbia that that is simply not the case. We are having to bring people into this province to perform jobs that British Columbians are more than capable of performing but we don’t have the skilled people necessary, and I think that’s a reflection on governments’ commitment to financing adequately the education system and I don’t think that can continue. 

Teachers are obviously valuable members of our community, they’re the frontline when it comes to providing those educational services, and I think that government has to ensure that teachers are going to work each day with a positive frame of mind, which I know that they do, but without that lingering doubt that their value and worth is recognized by government and the public at large. 


Question 2: Are you prepared to restore full, free, collective bargaining right? 

Well, what I think we need to do—well it would be easy to say yes to that—but I think what we need to do is restore a positive relationship between teachers and bargaining agents and build a trust between the two. 

I would just hate to think that to solve these issues we have to go to strike, it certainly is negative and I’m sure that most teachers would feel the same way that that’s the last thing they want to see. I would rather see us at this point try to resolve our issues without having to resort to a strike; I think it’s counterproductive and it doesn’t do any one any good, whether it’s the students or the teachers. 


Question 3: Teachers’ salaries are falling further and further behind those of other provinces. What will you do about that? 

On the salary issue, I think that part of the problem is that the public loses a sense of where teachers stand in relation to other provinces and other professions.

Too often, in the bargaining process, the needs in the classroom are brought to the fore and the teachers, when it comes to their salary, the pay that they deserve, the jobs that they do, don’t get that public recognition or they’re not part of the discussion.  

I think in that sense there has to be a separation between the legitimate wage, pensions, and benefits demands of teachers and the legitimate pedagogical concerns. I think that if we do that it could help the public become aware of any shortcomings that there may be, and it makes it easier for government to address those concerns. 


Question 4: Bills 27 and 28 stripped the collective agreement in 2002. There has been a huge loss of classroom teachers and learning specialist teachers over the last 10 years. What will you do to redress the situation?  

I challenge my BC Liberal opponent Todd Stone to tell the people of Kamloops South Thompson ... 'How will BC Liberals get any different fiscal result from not making any kind of real change?'

Today BC Liberal Premier Christy Clark told voters here in Kamloops, and around the province, that we are headed in to the “the most important election in modern history”.

 

I couldn't agree with her more! 

 

The writ has finally been dropped, and I'm sure it is a relief to all British Columbians, because several key things seem to be weighing heavily on the minds of people here in our Kamloops South Thompson riding.

 

BC debt to rise additional $6.7 Billion under Liberals

The Liberal Platform doesn't address the financial problems which THEY have created, and banking on the possibility of future billions of revenues from liquefied natural gas is a risky bet. 

 

BC Liberals still fail to understand government has to learn how to spend smarter!

 

I think the BC Liberals need to take one of the 'Game Sense' suggestions, from the BC Lottery Corporation, to heart.

Wondering if you can win back losses by playing more? It's possible, but unlikely. Chances are the more you play, the more money you'll lose. "Chasing losses" almost always leads to bigger losses.

 

If I apply that to BC Liberal fiscal planning and management, then it says to me, "Doing things the same way gets the same results!"

 I challenge my BC Liberal opponent Todd Stone to tell the people of Kamloops; 'How will BC Liberals get any different fiscal result from not making any kind of real change?

 

BC Liberals say the budget over the next three years will be balanced, and yet according to a Ministry of Finance document, it showed Total Provincial Debt was expected to rise a further $6.7 billion dollars -- that according to the budget they released just two short months ago.

SHAME on you for the lies and arrogance. You can't trowel on enough of that to hide and mask the truth any longer!

So, how many watched the Christy Clark Show last night at 7pm on Global TV? 
Win, lose, or draw, Clark definitely will be deserving of the Best Female Actress award from the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television’s new CANADIAN SCREEN AWARDS, which recognize excellence in film, television and digital media productions.

 

I had been thinking of possible comments I might make, but to tell you the truth after seeing the first and only three comments my campaign manager, Alan Forseth, made -- I think he really did capture the spirit of what many were thinking.

 

So, unvarnished and unedited, this is what Al had to say last night:  

 

 

Comment #1 

Just watching the taped version of Christy's 1/2 hour info-mercial. Well right off the bat I'll ask the same thing Christy that you did ... "Why is it okay to for our government to leave our kids with a debt?"

YOU SHOULD be ashamed you've left us worse off. Your Liberal government has doubled our debt :(  

 

 

Comment #2 

Christy Clark asks: "Do we want look after our kids future -- do we want to give them choices, that they're going to want to have, to run their future -- or do we want to take away their future by saddling them with debt?"

 

Good grief ... is she really serious? How can a government that has been so completely wasteful with taxpayers resources seriously ask that question. THIS is what BC Conservatives have been asking -- because it is BC Liberals that have INDEED doubled the provinces debt -- just as the NDP did --- and BOTH of them HAVE seriously jeopardized our children's futures!

 

Shame on you Christy Clark for NOT being to embarrassed and ashamed to try and pull off that kind of phony BS! 

 

 

Comment #3 

Oh my goodness ... I'm only 5 minutes in and I don't know if I can stomach any more of this trite revisionist look at the BC Liberals. She says she wants to balance the budget so we don't saddle our children with debt?

 

Well excuse me for asking -- but what do you call the new $7 billion you will be adding to the debt over the next 3 years, if your Liberal government is re-elected. 

 

That's no magical number drawn out of thin air by the way Christy -- that IS from the BC Ministry of Finance records.

"BC Liberals Todd Stone and Terry Lake, and New Democrats Kathy Kendall and Tom Friedman, are all welcome to campaign with the slogan 'we'll spend more and tax you more"

Today the BC New Democrats Finance Critic, Bruce Ralston, rolled out the party's election campaign budget.  A plan that will see increased taxes, and deficit budgets for at least three years.
Said BC Conservative Party Kamloops South Thompson candidate Peter Sharp, "They have indicated they not only plan to increase corporate taxes, their plan also includes an attack on individual British Columbians.""Their plan" he continued, "Will add a further 2.2% on personal income taxes for the so-called wealthy."

Calls by BC Conservative for 'smarter spending', rather than more spending, seem to have fallen on deaf ears.Said Sharp, "I have already been informed that right now -- today -- people are looking at their options in terms of where they plan to live in the very near future."

"The BC Liberals put in their 2013 budget (which passed in the legislature on March 5th), that they are going to increase the tax on incomes over $150,000 by 2.1% in 2014."

"This is not just a platform plank of the BC Liberals.", continued Sharp, "It's law.  And now we have the provincial New Democrats announcing a tax increase of 2.2%." "I am already hearing, from reliable sources, that people right here in Kamloops are seeing their accountants to see how much lower taxes would be in Alberta.  That's because of the 2.1% increase the BC Liberals have already approved -- never mind the even higher increase Ralston is proposing under the New Democrats."

Currently, on incomes over $135,000, the top tax rate is 43.7%. This new increase would make the top rate 46.8% on incomes over $150,000. By comparison, the top rate in Alberta is 39%. The closer you get to 50% marginal tax rates, the more people are going to start running away from BC."Let me say as plainly as I possibly can, 'Neither the NDP, or the BC Liberals, should be in control of the public purse strings'."

Like Big Bird says: "One of these things just doesn't belong"

Big Bird, "One of these things is not like the other"

John Les, soon to be retired BC Liberal MLA, and former Minister of Small Business & Economic Development and Minister of Public Safety & Solicitor-General, spoke over the weekend to the financial well-being of British Columbia, under the Liberal government of Christy Clark.

Les stated, "British Columbians really don't want more debt.  I think at the end of the day they are going to choose the BC Liberal policies of balancing the budget, and keeping our spending under control."

He went on to say, "They (the NDP) would spend a lot more money, as government, than we have.  Now it's not easy to keep your spending under control ... it's also extremely important to keep your spending under control ... that's what we've been doing."

BC Liberals say the budget over the next three years will be balanced, and yet the estimated Total Provincial Debt for 2013 / 14 will be $62,689 billion --- that will rise to $69,428 by 2015/ 16 (see official BC Fiscal and Debt Summary). 

On the weekend I happened to have a chance to hear the opening remarks of Michael Campbell, from the program Money Talks. What he had to say really caught my attention.

Michael Campbell ("Money Talks" - April 6th, 2013)
"While it is our obligation to pay taxes, is there any obligation for governments to spend the money efficiently? We have a lot who don't think that's the case."

Now as I say, those words caught my attention.  That's because while the BC Liberal government is forecasting a SURPLUS budget this year of $197 million dollars, we're NOT hearing a word from them about the fact our total provincial debt will be rising to $62,689 BILLION dollars!

That's keeping spending under control?

British Columbians must indeed be wondering about the so-called 'under control spending' brought up by John Les on Saturday afternoon, as well as these additional words he had to say:

Can anyone explain -- in a way that is logical and can be understood by taxpayers -- how BC Liberal voodoo math works

The BC Liberals say the budget over the next three years will be balanced, and yet the estimated Total Provincial Debt for 2013 / 14 will be $62,689 billion, and that will rise to $69,428 by 2015/ 16 (see official BC Fiscal and Debt Summary) 

Taxpayer supported interest on the Provincial costs us 4.1 cents of every dollar the government earns.  That will rise to 4.2 cents in 2014 / 15 ... and increase again to 4.3 cents in 2015 / 16. 

The BC Liberal government is forecasting a SURPLUS budget this year of $197 million dollars --- that while at the same time being very quiet about the fact the total provincial debt will be rising to $62.689 BILLION dollars. 

For the following year, they indicated they would have a SURPLUS budget of $211 million dollars -- meantime the total debt, taxpayers are on the hook for, stand at $66,548 BILLION dollars. 

Hold on now ... don't get ahead of me.

And for the budget year 2015 / 2016 the BC Liberals (just two months ago) told us the could bring in a budget SURPLUS of $460 million --- BUT again the total debt shows another increase, this time to $69,428 BILLION.  

So let's see if I have this straight:

The BC Liberals say not only would they balance the budget over each of the next 3 years, they will also run budget surpluses.  

 

While they do this, the amount of money being paid from government revenue, to cover interest payments on the debt will rise from 4.1 cents per dollar, to $4.3 cents per dollar.
   

And the amount of the debt will also rise over the three years by another $7 billion dollars.  

Can anyone explain -- in a way that is logical and can be understood by taxpayers -- how BC Liberal voodoo math works.  

Let's 'stay sharp' Kamloops. 

I'm Peter Sharp -- I'm a BC Conservative -- and I Believe in BC!

PETER SHARP: BC Conservatives release "Spending Smarter" policy paper

KAMLOOPS:  "Change for the better, with how the Legislative Assembly operates, will only begin when individual MLA's can once again have greater say in the role of government."

So said BC Conservative Kamloops South Thompson candidate Peter Sharp, after reviewing the parties just released position paper, "Spending Smarter"

"For all intensive purposes, it honestly seems that our BC Liberal government has abdicated its' role in ensuring taxpayer financial resources are wisely spent."

"While the government would like us to believe this recently introduced budget is balanced, most are understandably suspicious."

Highlights of the "Spending Smarter" policy paper include specifics on how Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA's) can once again ensure taxpayers get full value for their money.  These will include:

1) Allowance for a thorough look at the financial outlays of government before they are made.

2) The creation of a Legislative Budget Office, with the role of providing independent analysis for MLA's, helping them with complex financial and economic data.

3) An improvement to how the Fall sitting of the Legislature functions.  Rather than a focus on passing or amending legislation, the Legislature will instead have opportunity to review the expenditure of taxpayer resources by the government, Crown corporations, as well as schools, universities, colleges and hospitals.

"Ongoing deficits, and ever increasing debt, is a financial plague that must end.  Our Spending Smarter position paper will be the start of making that actually happen", concluded Sharp.

Contact:
Peter Sharp, Candidate
Kamloops South Thompson
Phone: (250) 319-5336

 

ATTACHMENT:  "Spending Smarter" policy paper