February 16, 2004
Response to the Speech from the Throne
Throne Speech Debates
R. Lee: It's a privilege and a pleasure to respond to the Speech from the Throne once again. It's indeed an honour for me to stand here representing the people of Burnaby North. As you know, with a population of 200,000 Burnaby is the third-largest city in British Columbia. Residents in Burnaby enjoy many multicultural activities throughout the year. On January 22 the Chinese Canadian community celebrated the lunar Year of the Monkey. May the year bring all British Columbians prosperity and happiness.
The throne speech has talked about bringing out the best in British Columbia — the best in our education, in our economy, in our resources, in our spirit and in our people. I would like to add that we should also bring out the best from our diverse multicultural society and the best from the immigrants who have chosen to live in this the most magnificent place on Earth — beautiful British Columbia.
Over the past two and a half years this government has laid out the path to achieve the best in B.C. It has worked hard through challenges — expected and unexpected — breaking through the years of inefficiencies, unaccountability and lack of openness. Now we are closer than ever. For the first time in years the provincial government's budget is balanced. B.C.'s unemployment rate is down well below the national average, with new jobs being constantly created. Our economic growth increase is third-largest in the country. Small business and consumer confidence are up. Family incomes enjoyed the largest increase in 20 years. For the first time in six years there's a net inflow of people to B.C.
The throne speech talked about bringing out the best in our education. It is important to concentrate on K-to-12 education as well as on higher education. The education system is there for our children, our future, and like the Premier said, it is the best job creation program ever invented. Over the past two years we have increased funding to education, committing to at least another $313 million over the next three years. Another $611 million will go towards building, expanding and upgrading schools all around the province.
This government is going to target such subjects as literacy, fine arts and first nations school involvement. We are going to do that through such programs as Success by 6, the Premier's advisory panel on literacy and increased funding towards relevant programs.
I believe the parents have a role to play in education. I am pleased to assist parents in Burnaby to be better informed. To this end, two education forums will be organized in the next two months to help parents understand the school system.
This government has further committed to bringing out the best in our higher education. We have committed to add 25,000 new student spaces across the province. That's on top of the 6,000 that were created in the last two years. We're also committed to an increase in the Advanced Education budget of $105 million by 2006-07. It's important that we continue to concentrate our task on advanced education and our arts programs, our high-tech and trades programs, and promoting student exchange programs.
Through student exchanges we are building ties with nations all over the world. When those students go home, they will be taking their experience with them, and when the time comes, they will be advocates of British Columbia and Canada in their own countries. They will buy our products, and it will increase opportunities to expand our export sector.
This government is also committed to bringing out the best in our economy. The results of our hard work have started to show in 2003. B.C. is leading the country in job creation with 77,000 jobs created last year and 154,000 in the last two years. Subsequently, the unemployment rate is down to 6.8 percent in December 2003 — well below the national average. Housing starts are up by 25 percent. Business incorporations are up 9.3 percent. Economic growth is projected to be the fourth-largest increase in Canada, and our consumer confidence is on the rise. These are the indicators of a healthy economy, improving the lives of British Columbians on an everyday basis.
This government has been prudent to concentrate and re-evaluate its key resources, such as its forests, oil and gas, agriculture, softwood lumber and other natural resources. The trade missions by the Premier to China and India, commitments to furthering the arts, engineering and high-tech sectors are all part of furthering the growth and stimulation of B.C.'s economy.
I participated in the trade mission to China last November. Shanghai, Guangzhou, Beijing and Tianjin are cities in China experiencing tremendous growth and transformation. I believe that businesses in British Columbia will be able to capture a fair share of the opportunities there if our industries and the resource sectors are competitive.
On top of those efforts, on top of those successes, British Columbians will be able to take advantage of the 2010 Olympics, an event that brings pride, world recognition and excitement to all British Columbians. This will bring recognition to local athletes, boost local businesses, increase investment and expand the quality of life for many. The tourism industry will benefit exponentially both in the short term and in the long term.
Long after the games are over, British Columbia will be remembered for its beauty, its hospitality and its people. I'm proud and excited we have won the bid for the 2010 Olympics and Paralympic Winter Games. I want to join my fellow British Columbians to welcome the world to our amazing province.
The same can also be said about the 2009 World Police and Fire Games. I'm incredibly proud. I would like to thank Jeff Clark and Miles Ritchie, two British Columbians, two Burnaby firefighters, for bringing the 2009 World Police and Fire Games. My colleagues and I have been behind this from the beginning, as it will bring economic revenues to the city in terms of tourism and hospitality. It will also showcase the beauty that's the city of Burnaby, and British Columbia. My colleagues in Burnaby have helped increase the awareness for the 2009 games. We have hosted the selection committee, and we are incredibly happy that our efforts paid off.
Good things come in threes. For the first time ever, the 2006 World Junior Hockey Championship games are being hosted in B.C. It's another proud moment for all British Columbians and their athletes. It's another chance for our young people to showcase their skills in front of the world. Thanks to this government's dedication and to the support of British Columbians, we are able to take part in and benefit from those truly amazing events. I wish the best of luck to all the athletes and teams.
Although this past year has been full of success stories, achievements and results, it has also been a year of challenges and natural devastations, some of which will leave a lasting effect. We have seen people's homes and communities destroyed by wildfires spreading through Okanagan Valley. We have seen SARS and mad cow disease. We have seen floods and we have seen droughts. Those are the types of events that no one could have predicted and are nearly impossible to prevent.
Those were the events that have only been overcome through hard work, support, pulling together and dedication by all British Columbians. I was pleased to be able to personally assist as a part of the community to do our part in helping those in need. As part of the community's activities, fundraising for the North Thompson forest fire relief fund, we visited Kamloops, McLure, Louis Creek and Barriere. I can never forget the devastating fire destruction in those areas. Many thanks to the volunteer firefighters, the communities, the neighbours and everyone else involved for being there and for staying strong and supportive to their families, neighbours and strangers.
Some of the biggest challenges in British Columbia have come from the health care sector. This government has been dedicated to improving the health care levels and building a sustainable health care system. This government has created more nursing spaces. It has increased doctors', nurses' and health support workers' salaries by $1.2 billion. It has directed more funding toward the patients.
The challenges arise because the demands constantly outgrow the funding. This government wants to concentrate its funding on the patients — on improving their services, creating more spaces and having state-of-the-art equipment. However, those efforts are constantly sabotaged by the demands and strikes, pulling money away from the patients and increasing the tax burden and debt, which in turn gets passed on to every British Columbian. I join this government in urging all others to be in the same spirit in a united effort to do their parts for the patients and the long-term sustainability of the public health care system.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the volunteers across this province. Volunteers are the glue to our communities. They take part in reading programs, coaching sports, mentoring students, helping seniors. They are the driving force for children, youth, seniors, substance abuse, new immigrants, police stations, fire stations and rescues. On any given day you can find them in schools, hospitals, community centres, the Legions, Optimist Clubs, Lions Clubs, Rotary Clubs. The volunteers' contributions to the communities and to this province are irreplaceable, immeasurable and indispensable. Volunteers light up many lives. I am pleased to see that in April of this year, Burnaby will have a festival of volunteers to celebrate the contributions of volunteers and help the non-profit organizations recruit more helping hands.
As a representative for Burnaby North, I'm happy to say that my riding has been contributing to the overall direction of the province. The creation of the eBay call centre in our community is expected to provide close to 800 jobs. Last year this government provided $4.7 million to our city to upgrade 32 kilometres of sanitary and storm sewer pipelines. Our various community programs are helping many of my constituents to better their lives.
I've been fortunate to be able to host coffee chats and open houses and attend many community events. I'm proud that this government is fiscally responsible, accountable and transparent. This is a government that has already fulfilled over 90 percent of its election platform and is in the right direction to fulfil the rest. This is a government that has a mandate, a vision, and it brings in sustainability and solutions rather than a short-term outlook and maintenance. I believe the overall majority of British Columbians will agree that this is the true spirit of British Columbia.
