Bennett Urges ‘Bold’ Approach To BC Core Review
Prince George, BC – The minister handling the provincial government’s core review of services is urging his colleagues to be ‘bold’ in their suggestions for curbing government spending.
In a post-election update on the provincial budget in June, the Liberal Government announced a Core Review with a savings target of $50-million dollars beginning 2014-15.
In a letter to his colleagues today outlining the review’s objectives, Minister Responsible, Bill Bennett, is tasking all ministers to find ways to be smarter, with less money. They’re being asked to look for duplication and overlap between ministries and identify programs that could be restructured to reduce costs. He says a key element of the process will be a review of the agencies, boards, and commissions (ABCs) that fall under each ministry.
"I look forward to working with my colleagues to identify programs, services, and agencies that require direction and change to protect the best interests of taxpayers." Bennett says the Core Review will not make recommendations on services for BC’s most vulnerable citizens, except to the extent they are not achieving their intended results.
As part of the process, there will be targeted consultations with stakeholders before the end of this fiscal year, with the review to be complete by December 2014.
Comments
One would expect looking for duplication and overlap would be an ongoing exercise every year and every budget. Apparently not. A special effort is now proposed.
He could start be reviewing how much MLAs are claiming for living expenses in Victoria for a legislator that isn’t sitting.
Spend smart and quit wasting money. What a great new concept.
I wish a lot of MPs could do that.
Less MLA’a is a first step and then, just meybe it could filter to MP’s. Hey I must be dreaming suggesting such a thing.
I a perfect world, there wouldn’t be politicians.
If the provincial “core review” is anything like our city’s “core review” it will be yet another massive waste of our taxpayer money!
This core review process is nothing but a sham. Smoke and mirrors, and BS to give the impression that the Government is responsible and doing something.
This Government taxes and spends billions of dollars, and a savings of some $50 Million is really not much. Lets say for examples they took $50 Million less from ICBC that would meet their goal, and then ICBC could reduce our car insurance accordingly.
Same thing could apply to the money they siphon off from BC Hydro. Reduce this by $50 Million and Hydro can reduce our rates.
None of these suggestions will be acted on because this Government is in the business of spending money, not saving money. They are now looking at another new bridge in Vancouver to replace the Massey Tunnel, and God only knows what else they have on the books.
$50 Million is peanuts, and Bennett knows it. The Core Review is nothing more than a PR project.
We don’t even have a good grasp as to how much money the Government brings in, so how the hell would we ever know if they saved any money or not.????
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