Was it a desperate throne speech to try and maintain power ? Did the Liberals borrow ideas from the NDP and Green Party ? And why the flip flop on some issues ?
Despite those questions Cariboo North MLA Coralee Oakes wasn’t taking the bait when we talked to her late yesterday afternoon.
Oakes says they simply listened to British Columbians while campaigning during the election.
She also says the plan all along was to give back to communities once they could…
” We have always said that when the economy grows and we are able to successfully maintain a balanced budget and at the same time give back to communities that we would. And what has resulted, and folks will see in July, that there is a greater surplus than what was projected in February.”
Oakes says she is proud of the throne speech.
Some of the highlights to her were increasing the number of residential care beds by 500, establishing a respite tax credit and introducing wait time guarantees for things like knee and hip replacements.
On education, she says they will take a look at the funding formula and holding a Royal Commission on education, something she says hasn’t been done in 30 years.
And Oakes says they plan to double the funding to the BC Arts Council, something she says will also help when it comes tom festivals like Billy Barker Days and SkyFest.