Premier David Eby said British Columbians understand the depth of challenges facing the province, adding he is prepared to be judged by the concrete results his government can deliver between now and the next provincial election in October 2024.
含羞草研究社淢y core belief is that government can really be a force for good and can achieve things we can含羞草研究社檛 achieve on our own,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淚 want British Columbians to look around their community and see, whether in their own lives or in their community, an area where government is making a difference on something that they really care about,含羞草研究社� he added. 含羞草研究社淭hat is the definition of success for me 含羞草研究社� that people can see in a meaningful way in their lives the difference that one government party is making versus another party being in government.含羞草研究社�
While this test can apply in many policy areas, Eby specifically singled out housing.
含羞草研究社淧eople are going to able to see these changes by next October and if they want them to continue, then they should be voting for us and if not, then I will understand,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淏ut we put literally everything we had into this.含羞草研究社�
Eby made these comments in his year-end-interview with Black Press Media little more than a year after becoming B.C.含羞草研究社檚 37th premier.
Eby entered the office with a reputation for being a workaholic, with a knowledge of even the most intricate policy details. He sometimes introduces discussions with the line 含羞草研究社榳e are going to get Level 5 on this, but this is a Level 5 crowd含羞草研究社� like he did during a recent meeting with business leaders.
He has also not shied away from defending his more interventionist interpretation of government.
When BC United released a ministerial memo found on the floor of the legislature as alleged evidence of government trying to extract a hydro rebate from a company proposing to build a green hydrogen plant in Prince George, Eby did not run away from it. He doubled down on it.
含羞草研究社淏ig affordability initiatives? Absolutely,含羞草研究社� he said during Question Period before accusing BC United of standing in the way of affordability measures and jobs benefiting residents in one of their ridings. 含羞草研究社淎nd now he (BC United含羞草研究社檚 Mike de Jong) stands up and says, 含羞草研究社楽hame on you for trying to find more affordability options for British Columbians?含羞草研究社� Shame on you, Member.含羞草研究社櫤卟菅芯可鐫
Eby, in a form of verbal Jujutsu, even embraced the language, which the opposition had believed would embarrass him.
含羞草研究社淚 am absolutely looking for big affordability measures for British Columbians and I want them to shine,含羞草研究社� he said later. 含羞草研究社淚 want British Columbians (to know) that we are delivering for them on affordability,含羞草研究社� he added, pointing to various past policies. 含羞草研究社淚 have asked every single minister, 含羞草研究社楲ook at the your file, find ways to deliver affordability for British Columbians.含羞草研究社櫤卟菅芯可鐫
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Perhaps nowhere has Eby含羞草研究社檚 approach been more apparent than in housing, an issue often described in moral terms.
含羞草研究社淓very British Columbian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home,含羞草研究社� he said in early January. 含羞草研究社淯nfortunately, this simply wasn含羞草研究社檛 a priority for more than a decade.含羞草研究社�
About a year later, Eby含羞草研究社檚 government has in the minds of many revolutionized housing legislation. At least four major housing law passed alone during the legislature含羞草研究社檚 fall session on top of policies announced in late 2022 and early 2023 with more coming in 2024.
But quantity does not necessarily guarantee effectiveness and the question remains: when will British Columbians see significant improvements in housing?
Eby said some British Columbians have already benefited from changes that have made units previously used as investments and vacation properties available to renters or buyers.
含羞草研究社淏ringing those units has been really important, but for the long-term, for our population growth and for getting families the chance to live in (units coming online through increased density in what are now single-residential neighbourhoods), those changes are going to take a while,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淭he good news is that municipalities have to have the rules in place by next year. Construction will be starting almost right away. 含羞草研究社�
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But Eby含羞草研究社檚 housing agenda has also received criticisms from various corners, including the BC Greens, whose leader Sonia Furstenau accused New Democrats of becoming the very thing they once despised by ramming through legislation without sufficient parliamentary scrutiny.
So how did Eby, with his history of defending procedural fairness through his previous career as a civil rights lawyer, take Furstenau含羞草研究社檚 criticism?
Governments of all size and around the world get 含羞草研究社渨rapped up in endless process,含羞草研究社� he said, pointing to procedural wranglings in Vancouver.
含羞草研究社淔or people, who are struggling to find a place to live, they like process as much as the next person, but they want government to treat this housing crisis like a crisis,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淵oung people want to know that they have a future in the province, that there is actually a government, who cares about whether or not they have a place to live here含羞草研究社nd if people feel that the process was insufficiently process-oriented, they will be able to vote that way at the fixed election date.含羞草研究社�
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Eby enters 2024 as the expecting father of a third child and with the best personal approval ratings among the four party leaders. Polls show his party comfortably leading in the polls, despite a slowing economy and still-high inflation.
Far from showing fatigue with a party entering its seventh year in power, British Columbians appear poised to re-elected New Democrats under Eby as the opposition on the right side of the political spectrum remains divided. But what some might call a dream scenario appears against the backdrop of rising populism partly caused by concerns about affordability.
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Both BC United and the Conservative Party of BC have promised to trim back, if not eliminate entirely, measures to fight climate change, including the carbon tax, a measure once introduced by the BC Liberals, now defended by a New Democratic premier.
含羞草研究社淚n an atmosphere of people struggling with affordability, it is a challenging thing to say, 含羞草研究社榣ook, we need to take action on climate change,含羞草研究社櫤卟菅芯可鐫 he said. 含羞草研究社淭his (carbon tax) is a mechanism that has worked well to reduce pollution in our province and if you don含羞草研究社檛 have the carbon tax, you are going to have to have something else that funds various pieces of government.含羞草研究社�
Cutting or eliminating the tax would also hurt businesses and individuals, he added, noting that companies have not passed on cuts to consumers, but generated windfall profits instead.
含羞草研究社淚 do understand caring about affordability, but what I don含羞草研究社檛 like is posturing on ideas that you think are politically popular that will have no effect on people含羞草研究社檚 daily lives.含羞草研究社�
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By vocally supporting the carbon tax, Eby also runs the risk of allowing the opposition to make the election about the tax. So what kind of politician defends a tax?
含羞草研究社淚 believe in my heart that British Columbians are not idiots,含羞草研究社� he said, pointing out that later that British Columbians actually elected 含羞草研究社渢o the NDP含羞草研究社檚 chagrin含羞草研究社� the BC Liberals, when they were running on the carbon tax. 含羞草研究社淩egardless of partisan stripe,含羞草研究社� British Columbians understand that taxes are necessary to fund government and the services they rely on, he added. 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 probably better to tax pollution than to tax a number of other things.含羞草研究社�
wolfgang.depner@blackpress.ca
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