The BC Liberals are vowing to stay the course as they kick off the 40th sitting of the provincial legislature.
A brief throne speech, the second this year for the government, touches on all the Liberals' key issues, including LNG plants, balanced budgets for the next four years, fostering trade with Asia, reaching a ten-year deal with teachers and accelerating the jobs plan.
"In some areas where we've done really well, we need to add some new goals. In other areas like technology where there's a new ministry, I think we have a real chance to expand on the jobs plan and grow it,” Premier Christy Clark said at a news conference earlier today in Saanich.
There's little if anything new in the throne speech, and little if anything new expected in the five-week session beyond passing the Liberals’ budget.
NDP leader Adrian Dix says the speech shows the Liberals are out of touch.
"It doesn't appear like things are fundamentally changing, the government is repeating its slogans, but those slogans are disconnected from the reality people are facing in BC which appears to be six months of service cuts that the government said wouldn't happen and a continuing increase in debt."
Dix also slams the speech for failing to mention the government's long-discussed head tax apology to Chinese-Canadians.