Tuesday鈥檚 throne speech in the B.C. legislature contained little in the way of new announcements, new promises or new programs, but it鈥檚 probably just as well.
It鈥檚 better that old promises be fulfilled before new ones are made. It鈥檚 better that the government support and improve existing programs before embarking upon new ones.
鈥淪teady as she goes鈥� is probably appropriate for the times, but it was still disappointing to see the legislative session opened on such a drab, uninspiring note. Ever hopeful, we have come to expect, if not fireworks, at least a little razzle-dazzle from a throne speech, even in the full knowledge that it is mostly theatre.
But we should be careful what we wish for. The 2013 throne speech fairly sparkled with optimism and the promise of nearly unlimited riches from liquefied natural gas. Those glittering promises have been considerably dulled by economic realities.
鈥淲e live in uncertain times,鈥� says the current throne speech. 鈥淲ho could have credibly predicted that oil would lose half its value in a matter of months?鈥�
Interesting, isn鈥檛 it, how governments almost always claim the credit for robust economic gains, but never take the blame when the economy heads the other way.
The B.C. Liberals still have a long way to go to fulfil their promises about more jobs, skills training and strengthening the economy. It鈥檚 better that they work at keeping their old promises than make shiny new promises that have little hope of being realized.
