Olympic kudos expected in B.C. throne speech
Harper will address B.C. legislature this week
Last Updated: Monday, February 8, 2010 | 4:07 PM PT
The Canadian Press
Highlights of the brief opening of the B.C. legislature this week include a throne speech and an address from the prime minister. (CBC) The B.C. government will return to the legislature Tuesday for a three-day, pre-Olympics political warm-up that includes a throne speech and a historic visit to the legislature by the prime minister.
The B.C. Liberal Party rejigged the legislative calendar to accommodate this week's political session and an almost three-week break for the Winter Games, followed by the tabling of the provincial budget, which is forecast to include a $1.7-billion deficit.
The throne speech traditionally lays out the political agenda for the coming months, but political pundits suggest this version will be light on policy initiatives, heavy on Olympics boosterism and possibly sprinkled with hints of future budget cuts.
Dennis Pilon, a political scientist at the University of Victoria, said the Liberals will cheer on the Olympics in the legislature this week, leaving the politics to next month, beginning with the March 2 budget.
PM will address legislature
Pilon said Premier Gordon Campbell's Liberals and Prime Minister Stephen Harper want to be seen delivering good news during what will be presented as a historic time for British Columbia and Canada.
"What we've got here is a case where both the federal right-wingers and the provincial right-wingers want some good news," he said. "They are setting themselves up to be able to benefit, they hope, from the reflected glory of the Olympics."
"Both of them want to be the MC and have people say, `Wow, this is fantastic. Thank you, Gordon Campbell and Stephen Harper."'
Harper is scheduled to address the legislature Thursday, the first time a Canadian prime minister has spoken in the British Columbia legislature.
Olympic emphasis expected
Campbell has brushed aside criticism that Harper chose to speak to a sitting legislature in B.C. while, in Ottawa, Parliament has been suspended until March 3, inciting widespread outrage.
Campbell said Harper is coming to Victoria to congratulate British Columbians and Canadians on their efforts to host the Olympics.
Pilon said there may be some indications in the throne speech of future financial belt-tightening ahead because the Liberals want to appear prudent, but the focus will be on bringing on the Games.
"If anything, opening themselves up before the Olympics allows the Opposition to score some points," he said.
James bought Games tickets
Opposition New Democrat Leader Carole James said she will look for signs the government is beginning to respond to the economic hardships facing many British Columbians.
James, who bought her own tickets to attend Olympic curling events, the closing ceremonies and the opening ceremonies for the Paralympics, said she expects the Liberals to accuse the NDP of being Games bashers when they question the government.
"I'll be watching that throne speech to see if the B.C. Liberals have any kind of idea of how to help people through these difficult economic times after the Olympics," she said.
Last fall, the Liberals endured a season of bad news at the legislature that saw the government pass a record deficit budget of $2.8 billion that included deep cuts in grants to social, sport and volunteer organizations.
The Liberals continue to face criticism of their plans to introduce a harmonized sales tax in July that combines the five per cent federal goods and services tax with the seven per cent provincial sales tax.
Big business cheered the 12 per cent HST last fall, which offers them $2 billion in tax cuts, but consumers and the tourism, real estate and restaurant industries are preparing for increased costs.
James said the New Democrats will continue to fight the HST, adding they need the votes of seven Liberals to dump the tax.
Campbell, elected to his third consecutive term last spring, said he will not drop the HST and plans to continue as leader after the Olympics.
