As B.C.含羞草研究社檚 legislature Thursday (May 16) rose for the last time before this fall含羞草研究社檚 provincial election, a UBC political scientist says Premier David Eby含羞草研究社檚 team will head into that campaign on the defensive.
含羞草研究社淭he B.C. NDP has spent much of the spring playing defence, at a time when they would have much rather be going on the attack and really making more assertive statements to British Columbians about what they will do in the future,含羞草研究社� Stewart Prest said.
He points to the 含羞草研究社渁bout-face含羞草研究社� on decriminalization.
含羞草研究社淭hat含羞草研究社檚 a significant turn-about on a significant policy issue,含羞草研究社� he said.
Other issues that contributed to the B.C.含羞草研究社檚 NDP defensive posture included the ongoing saga of the Surrey Police transition as well as growing opposition to carbon tax.
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 an environment in which we see the B.C. NDP vulnerable in ways that perhaps that含羞草研究社idn含羞草研究社檛 seem likely a year ago.含羞草研究社�
This vulnerability has shown up in recent opinion surveys where British Columbians have expressed concern about the state of the economy and the overall direction of the province. At the same time, those polls also show the NDP heading toward another majority government with the public for now favouring the proposed remedies of Eby含羞草研究社檚 government.
But time might not be working in favour of New Democrats, Prest said.
含羞草研究社淪ome of their bold proclamations, statements and budget commitments on things like housing, like additional funding for health care have not had time to have any kind of impact. So this is a government betwixt and between a little bit.含羞草研究社�
B.C. Housing Minister and Government House Leader Ravi Kahlon said Thursday government made real progress on improving health care across B.C., pointing to the hiring of 700-plus new doctors and thousands of new nurses during the last year. He also pointed to a range of measures to improve housing 含羞草研究社� the top issue on the minds of British Columbians, according to multiple surveys.
The end of the session 含羞草研究社� which saw government table and pass 27 pieces of legislation 含羞草研究社� does not also spell end of government efforts, Kahlon added.
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When asked about government含羞草研究社檚 changes to decriminalization, Kahlon said court rulings left government with no choice .
含羞草研究社淭here is no set formula on how to address the mental health and addictions crisis that we含羞草研究社檙e dealing with,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淲e are doing our best to work with healthcare professionals with our police to ensure communities stay safe and yet people get can get access to what they need.含羞草研究社�
B.C. United Leader Kevin Falcon described the last session as 含羞草研究社渘ightmarish含羞草研究社� for the B.C. NDP.
含羞草研究社淭hey completely lost the confidence of British Columbians,含羞草研究社� he said.
He praised government含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社減artial backtrack含羞草研究社� on decriminalization as 含羞草研究社済ood含羞草研究社� but repeated his party含羞草研究社檚 promise to scrap decriminalization within 30 days of coming to office.
B.C. Greens Leader Sonia Furstenau said Wednesday the decriminalization issue shows the reactive nature of the Eby government.
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 all scramble, no strategy,含羞草研究社� she said.
Thursday marked not only the end of the current legislative session, but also the end of B.C.含羞草研究社檚 42nd parliament elected in October 2020 with the COVID-19 pandemic just seven months old with several more crises to follow.
Eby said New Democrats have always been able to weather challenges, while sticking to government as a tool for improving the lives of others.
含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檇 like to quote a famous philosopher,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社満卟菅芯可鐦We cannot direct the winds, but we can adjust the sails.含羞草研究社� Some of you may recognize that philosopher as the late, great Dolly Parton. I have been alive for 47 years and Dolly Parton has never steered me wrong,含羞草研究社� he said.
Parton, for the record, is still alive.
