BIV series surveys the party’s five hopefuls on issues important to B.C. businesses
As they were in the BC Liberal party’s leadership race, business issues will be key in a successful run for the leadership of the BC New Democratic Party. NDP members are scheduled to cast their votes in the party’s leadership race on April 17. In this first instalment of a three-part NDP leadership series, Business in Vancouver surveys the five candidates on health care, balancing budgets and government spending. Next week: vision statements, infrastructure spending priorities and ways the candidates’ NDP government would differ from that of the current Liberal regime.
Adrian Dix: BC can leverage Medicare’s economic competitive advantage by implementing measures that increase public health care’s cost-efficiency and quality. Some of these policies and programs include:
- nurse practitioner clinics to deliver cost-effective, high-quality primary care, especially for patients with chronic papers; and
- lower prescription drug costs and improved patient outcomes by expanding Therapeutics Initiative, reference-based pricing, academic detailing and standing up against the Canada-EU trade deal that will delay the entry of generic drugs into B.C.
Mike Farnworth: Health-care costs are driven by demand. That’s why I believe we need to focus on preventive care and address health indicators such as increased obesity, smoking and poverty. Aging demographics mean there are more seniors, and that has a clear impact. It’s a smarter investment to keep seniors in their homes than it is to have them take space in acute-care beds.
Nicholas Simons: By investing in home care, assisted living and nursing care for seniors as well as publicly funding community health clinics, reinstating the therapeutics initiative, addressing poverty and other social determinants of health. That’s the only way to control health-care spending in the long term.
Dana Larsen: As premier, I would invest heavily in health, education and preventive health measures while increasing access to nutritious foods. I would further explore various means to decrease our spending on prescription drugs, which is the fastest growing segment of our health budget. Finally, I would institute meaningful programs to reduce poverty and homelessness, which are responsible for a significant proportion of our health-care costs.
John Horgan: There are numerous ways. Some examples include:
- helping seniors age at home;
- establishing public primary health clinics;
- promoting health and wellness; and
- creating more long-term care beds.
It is my commitment to invest in our public system and put patients first.
Dix: Given the rather sluggish economy in B.C. and Canada and the lack of direction, which is affecting key sectors, it is unrealistic to expect a balanced budget in 2013 from either major party.
I commit to restoring the corporate capital tax and rolling back recent tax cuts for larger corporations so priorities such as affordable post-secondary education, transit and reforestation can be addressed.
Farnworth: I believe in balanced budgets; however, B.C. is not an island unto itself. We are impacted by a number of external factors that come into play, including things such as commodity prices. We can’t be slashing investments in things like education, which is critical to our productivity, every time these prices take a dip. On the other hand, the first question that needs to be decided before we make choices on taxation is about the HST. The public will have its say on that question in June.
Simons: Likely not by 2013, but I believe that operating budgets need to be balanced over the business cycle. I would establish a fair tax and revenue commission of experts in economics and fiscal policy to identify options. The tax changes we accept would be in our election platform so there will be no surprises.
Larsen: Yes. As premier, I would institute a new tax bracket of 26% on income over $250,000 and return corporate taxes to 2001 levels. This revenue would be used to balance our budget and increase education funding by 10%. These tax and spending increases would result in net benefits to our economy and help to reverse wealth concentration in our society.
Horgan: We all agree that there is a finite amount of revenue to provide services to citizens. I will establish a Fair Tax Commission responsible for examining and reporting on the total impact of the HST, provincial taxation, user fees, licences and the range of government-imposed costs on citizens and businesses.
Dix: No, we would not spend less overall. Already key services are suffering from cutbacks. We are in a slow economy and we need stimulus, not more recession. However, I will end untargeted tax cuts for banks and large corporations and make more investments in core services and infrastructure. That helps business as well as employees and their families.
Farnworth: Obviously, there are areas where we can achieve cost savings. I believe government spending should be focused on key areas that deliver service to people in the province and that provide investment in economic development that creates jobs. There has been waste in this government – namely, the unprecedented growth of the Public Affairs Bureau and the premier’s office. As well, there are items such as the $6 million payout that was made for legal fees during the BC Rail trial.
Simons: In some areas, yes. In others, no. We need to invest more now if we are to spend less in the long term. Reducing poverty would cost around $2 billion a year, but the savings in the long term could amount to over $4 billion annually, according to reliable research on prevention and productivity.
Larsen: No. Our government spending has been cut to below optimal levels, leading to increased costs overall to our society and economy. As premier, I would reverse this trend, and increase spending on education and poverty reduction programs to ensure the continued health and economic prosperity of our province.
Horgan: Under the BC Liberals we have seen a government that has put a priority on giving special deals to friends and insiders rather than working for all of us. I’m running for leader to bring real change that puts people first. My spending priorities are outlined on my website: www.horganforbc.ca.