Throne Speech Heavy on Environment

Tuesday, February 13, 2007 02:41 PM

Lieutenant Governor Iona Campagnolo has delivered the Throne Speech, outlining the Provincial Government’s plans for the Spring sitting.

She started off with talking about the Province becoming an economic powerhouse.

She said that at the heart of the government’s agenda lies the question “What can we do to secure the future for our children and our grandchildren?”

She talked of the Province taking action on forest health, specifically talking about the mountain pine beetle and fibre. Wood chips and wood waste will be used to provide new energy.

Action on climate change will be aggressive, as the Province says it will make significant changes to reduce and reverse the growth of greenhouse gas emissions. The plan would call for reductions by 2020 that will have B.C.’s greenhouse emissions down to a level 10% below levels recorded in 1990.

The province also promises to provide a new sewage system for Victoria which will end that city’s current process of dumping raw sewage into the ocean.

There will be a new energy plan will look at green, low carbon energy. A new energy fund will be established.

Later this spring, all Pacific coast Governors will be invited to meet with B.C. to talk about transportation along the Pacific coastline from Alaska to California. There will be a push to build a “hydrogen highway” from Whistler to San Diego by 2010.

There will be incentives to have homeowners make their homes more energy efficient.

There will be penalties for lifestyles and behaviours which are not environmentally friendly, expect increased taxes on such items.

The speech focused on homelessness calling it "A plague which weakens us all and is unacceptable. New approaches are required." Municipal governments will have to identify and incorporate int heir community plans, sites for the housing and treatment of those with mental illness or addictions by 2008.

There will be further improvements to the Child and Family Services Act, and there will be an abolishment of the mandatory retirement age.

Legislation will be introduced to ban smoking from all school property. (School Disgtrict 57 already has such a policy in place)

New medical records system will be launched giving physicians better access to information on patients. There are still challenges on the health system. Health funding will be increased by an $885 million dollars in the new fiscal year but the province says that is not sustainable, and changes will be made.

On education: There are now more classes with fewer students, so class sizes are smaller. The student teacher ratio is now lower than it has ever been, but there will be some changes to try and keep the students from dropping out.

There will be more done to attract skilled workers, and expedite entry for immigrants who have specific skills. The government will invest in B.C.’s ports and airports to exploit B.C.’s "Pacific advantage".

Several ammendments wil be introudced to enhance mineral exploration and to give land owners new rights before such exploration takes place on their property.

In closing, she said the "This is our time, this is British Columbia’s time to lead".

It was Campagnolo’s last Speech from the Throne, and in closing she thanked all members of the House for the partnership between Government and State over the past 6 years.

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Throne Speech Heavy on Environment

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