Quotes and reaction to B.C. budget 2014-2015

VICTORIA – Quotes on the B.C. budget:

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“The budget in one or two words? I came up with three — a triple-b budget — boring, balanced budget. But we’re one of only two provinces in Canada that can boast that happy state of boring.”

– B.C. Finance Minister Mike de Jong

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“Boring seems to be the new sexy. The core themes of this budge are clearly stay the course, prudence, and vigilance.”

– Iain Black, president of the Vancouver Board of Trade

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“Today’s provincial budget means putting off critical investments that will generate better health outcomes and cost savings in the future.”

– Bonnie Pearson, Hospital Employees’ Union

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“The B.C. government is betting the farm on the development of a massive LNG industry in B.C. It is clear from today’s budget however that there will not be corresponding protection of our environment.”

– Gwen Barlee, Wilderness Committee

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“The budget ignores the court decision (which said the province violated teachers’ bargaining rights by removing class size and composition from their contract) in a really irresponsible way. There is a contingency fund, they have a small surplus. And what they should be doing is sitting down with us and figuring out how to fix this.”

– Glen Hansman, B.C. Teachers’ Federation

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“This is not a good budget for health care. With a two per cent increase, it’s pretty much flat, which will not take into account inflation, population growth, increased cost of drugs and technology. What that means for the patients that we look after is more people falling through the cracks.”

– Debra McPherson, president of the B.C. Nurses Union.

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“The minister of finance is very focused on eliminating the fiscal deficit a year before every other province, but there are other deficits that remain. There’s a big social deficit, we have a jobs deficit, and none of those is being addressed in the budget.”

Iglika Ivanova, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives