First, the reports were that subsidies to allow the poorest B.C. kids to camp were at risk. Then aid for leaky condo owners. Now even the Vancouver Island marmot is on the government chopping block. Funding for the marmot recovery program is uncertain, more than three months into the fiscal year.
Those are only the examples that have drawn public notice. Cuts are being planned across government, in secrecy, as this editorial notes.
One result of this process is paralysis, in government and the agencies that do its work. Three months into the fiscal year, funding for most projects is uncertain. Action is on hold. The public won't find out what is going on until September, when a new budget is presented.
The Liberals claim they need until then to rework the numbers. But in 2001, facing the task of replacing the NDP budget with one of their own, the Liberals were able to table a plan by July 30.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
1 comment:
It has been weirdly quiet on that topic. Although on July 7, BCGEU announced layoffs of some sort would be happening for Ministry of Forests and Ministry of Environment. For sure there are thousands more to come all across government.
I just wonder how the seniority clause will be applied.
Government can't layoff all the young new hires this time round and deepen the demographic hole they are already in.
I think they will want to layoff older, longer term and more expensive employees. Could avoid seniority clauses through using the employee performance review process (where employees are ranked) and renegotiating the seniority clause in the contract. The Master Standing Agreement expires in March 2010.
I also worry that the government will want to break the BCGEU. All that "labour friendly" contract settling in 2006 was just a smokescreen. Look at the premier's attitude to the striking paramedical employees (and this while on the election campaign trail!)
This is a deeply ideological government firmly committed to the principles (sadly outdated and unsuccessful) of Margaret Thatcher and the US private market Republicans.
Post a Comment