The B.C. Legislature's Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services held a budget consultation meeting on Tuesday at the Castlegar Complex. Unfortunately, only two groups took advantage of the opportunity to present information to the committee, which consists of 10 MLAs from throughout the province and is headed by Douglas Horne from Coquiltam-Burke Mountain. The local groups were the Castlegar Hospice Society, represented by executive director Suzanne Lehbauer, and Selkirk College, represented by Barry Auliffe, director of communications and development; Mike Dion, vice-president of administration and finance; and Cathy Mercer, registrar.
"We basically put out a public notice and invite people to come and talk to us about our budget process and what they believe is being done well and shouldn't change and what isn't and could be improved," said Horne. "One of the big things this year, and in previous years, is making sure affordability is the key for families. Obviously, we've done a lot over the years to deal with those at the lower income range. Middle income families are feeling the pressure, so we're looking at ways to help them and that's what this process tries to do."
The stop in Castlegar is part of a three week tour that started on Monday in Surrey and will continue on to Cranbrook, Osoyoos, Kelowna and Vernon, before going up north and then back to the coast.
"We listen to a broad base of people across the province and then by Nov. 15 the committee reports out to the Legislature and then to the Minister of Finance as to what we've heard," said Horne. "So we don't necessarily report specifically on different groups. We report broadly on what we feel from an overall program standpoint, from an overall taxation standpoint, from many of the aspects that combine to make the budget of British Columbia, how we think we should recommend that be put together."
Horne says they have already heard from a wide range of groups so far and have great feedback already.
"They each bring a different perspective to us," he said. "It's listening. It's understanding what they say and trying our best to deal with the issues they bring up, but deal with it in a way that we can continue to balance our budget."
Selkirk College's Barry Auliffe, who spoke on behalf of the institution, was pleased to be able to make a presentation to the committee.
"The idea is to provide input for the government as they provide their 2013-14 budget," he said. "There's a looming skilled workplace shortage across B.C. and across Canada. Seventy-eight per cent of those jobs require post-secondary education. We want to make sure the government realizes that we feel we're part of the solution. This is a perfect opportunity. You don't often get the chance to sit down face to face with Members of the Legislative Assembly and tell them that."