What throne speech? asks Columbia River Revelstoke MLA Doug Clovechok when asked about Tuesday’s speech from the NDP government.
“I could have pulled out my copy of last year’s speech and it was the same thing,” he said.
Clovechok says the speech was bereft of substance, and especially lacking anything that would help rural residents, like his Columbia River Revelstoke constituents.
One particular point that really irks Clovechok is a promise in the speech to increase funding for rural policing.
“It’s mind numbing. They are promising more money for rural policing. Well, they just took $10.5 million away from rural policing. So are they putting that all back? Will it be a net gain or a net loss? You can’t say one thing and do another. People notice.”
Clovechok also points to the NDP talking about eliminating medical service premiums.
“Yes, eliminating the premiums is a good thing, but it’s placing real hardship on businesses. The money hasn’t gone anywhere, it’s just shifted.”
“There was zero mention of wildlife. It’s one of our most valuable resources, and it’s at critical mass. To be fair, this goes back years, but the NDP have been in power for two and a half years and they’ve come up with nothing.”
He points out that there is no plan to address rural transportation, no plan to address issues with accessing health care in Alberta.
“For my constituents there was not a word. They talk about the Patullo Bridge, the Massey Tunnel. What about the Golden Bridge? What about twinning the Trans Canada?
“There’s nothing for Columbia River Revelstoke, just nothing.”
Clovechok says it’s apparent to him that the NDP has run out of ideas.
“They’ve even run out of our ideas to steal. There are no plans. It’s ready, fire, aim with these guys.
“We haven’t come close to the affordable housing units they promised. Where’s the $10 a day child care for everyone. Now the language has shifted and it’s for ‘those who need it’. Who are they?”
Clovechok will be addressing all this and more when he responds to the speech in the legislature. But one thing is very clear, he said.
“They have run out of money. They are broke and they don’t want people to know.”