Commentary

As the drama over alleged Chinese interference in Canadian elections plays out in Ottawa, the B.C. government introduced its own bill this week to try and tackle the rise of election disinformation.

The past few days have provided more opportunities for speculation about an early federal election in Canada. Topics such as foreign interference and the type of people who some of our members of Parliament choose to meet dominated the airwaves.

A good magician can make a person vanish. Premier David Eby made a $3.6-billion surplus vanish. Despite ending the 2022 budget year with a $3.6-billion forecasted surplus, Eby’s first budget as premier is projecting a $4.2-billion deficit in 2023.

In some countries, the initial public reaction to creeping inflation is to scrutinize the salary of politicians.

Maybe expectations were too high for Premier David Eby’s first budget. Or maybe his NDP government is saving its big ideas for next year’s election campaign. But whatever the case, the new premier’s new budget on Tuesday was an underwhelming read.

Results matter, and by so many metrics, the BC NDP government is failing British Columbians.

Funds galore, but no plan for growth in first Eby provincial budget

Diversifying sources can help B.C. meet both energy and climate needs

By global standards, British Columbia is prosperous. Like residents of all Canadian provinces, British Columbians enjoy living standards and access to economic opportunity that most of the world envies.

MLA Melanie Mark’s stinging rebuke of B.C.’s political system during her retirement speech has once again shone a spotlight on how dysfunctional our legislature has become.