Dan Brooks
B.C. Conservative
The economy of northern BC relies heavily on the agricultural and resource sectors. To encourage economic growth in the north, we must create a positive business environment in which these sectors can thrive. This means we have to keep taxes low and provide the proper incentives to attract investment to grow the economy.
The Carbon Tax is a particularly unfair tax that penalizes agriculture and resource development. The BC Cattlemen鈥檚 Association estimates that the average BC farmer and rancher spends an additional $2000 per year on the Carbon Tax, and the BC Grain Growers Association estimates the cost to their members is $4300 per year.
This unfairly penalizes BC farmers, ranchers, and grain growers and puts them at a serious, competitive disadvantage in the global marketplace. In fact, BC farmers, ranchers, and agricultural produces have recorded six consecutive years of financial losses, even as their counterparts across the country enjoyed record profits.
In addition, resource extraction such as logging and mining are highly energy intensive and spend millions each year in Carbon Tax. This places a further unfair tax burden on our northern economy.
Dan Brooks and the BC Conservatives will repeal the Carbon Tax.
Land is a critical component to a resource-based economy. That鈥檚 where the trees grow, that鈥檚 where the minerals are, and that鈥檚 where our northern economy gets its strength. To attract investment into this land we have to provide businesses with certainty on the land base.
The land also provides key social values for our communities and the quality of life we enjoy. A business that invests millions of dollars into developing economic projects expects a return, and if the project is rejected the potential for future investment is greatly diminished and highly unlikely.
We need a proactive approach to resource development so that projects are developed in harmony with social values. This means providing clear expectations to industry in advance of their projects so that they understand what the public needs and expects from the land base. Once those expectations have been set, businesses can then weigh the costs and benefits of their project and invest with confidence that if they meet those expectations the project will be approved: ie. a predictable outcome.
Clear expectations with predictable outcomes. This can only be achieved through land use planning that engages the public, stakeholders, industry, First Nations, and our local communities in a process to set their expectations.
Colin Hamm
B.C. Green Party
A vote for Colin Hamm of the Green Party would mean that I would work to protect the health, happiness and prosperity of the people of 亚洲天堂 Lake for now and for generations to come. We need to think further into the future than what has been done previously.
Let鈥檚 start with prosperity, and that of course mostly means the Forestry industry and the looming fall-down. Even if the mill gets rebuilt, we still have to make sure that there is an adequate supply of logs to run through it for generations to come. Protecting our forests means protecting our forestry jobs and the Green Party is the only party that makes that job #1. Conservation is at the very heart of the Green Party platform, and always has been, it鈥檚 not just this year鈥檚 election ploy.
The best time to plant a tree was 50 years ago; the second best time is today. We want to invest heavily in reforestation and that will help future generations. We also have a plan for today.
To make sure that the Forestry sector of the economy is strong, we can鈥檛 just carry on the same way we have always done things. We need to be smarter. We need to do more with our harvest. For example, in BC we harvest 1000 cubic meters of wood for every forestry job, whereas in Quebec they only cut 300. This means that they get more than 3 times as many jobs out of the same harvest. What are they doing differently? Well they are not just shipping off quickly sawed dimensional lumber; they are making things out of that wood, and we can too.
We need to make sure that the economic benefits of the public forests stay in the community by doing more value added work here at home instead of shipping off our profits to other places.
We also need to use more of it. There is way too much good useable fibre being left in the forest to rot or to be burnt off. At the very least we should generate some power from the waste burning but we could do so much more. We want to make it easier for small companies to get salvage licences to go in and use what is left over. There is a place for big business to generate jobs but in BC small businesses actually employ more people and are growing at a faster rate. We want to encourage free enterprise and innovation to get more economic activity from our forests.
But it doesn鈥檛 end there. There is more to the value of our forests than just cutting them down to make wood products. They have a very real aesthetic value too. Tourism is a massive industry in BC and is both sustainable and growing. There is no reason why 亚洲天堂 Lake can鈥檛 get more of the tourist dollars. By protecting the natural beauty of the forests, it also makes our community more attractive for professionals to live and work in the area.
Protecting the health of the environment, our own habitat, also helps to protect the health of the people. Preventing disease by promoting health is a much better way to spend health care dollars instead of waiting until people are sick and then treating them. The Green Party has an extensive, well thought out platform that can be found online at our website http://www.greenparty.bc.ca/ or I invite people to contact me directly for more information.
John Rustad
B.C. Liberal
亚洲天堂 Lake has gone through one of the most challenging times in its history. Through this, the community has remained positive and is now poised to see a boom of activity. Construction of a new mill, a new hospital, a new sports complex and road improvements will make 亚洲天堂 Lake a very busy place.
Significant work is underway in forestry with reforestation, inventory work, a new community forest in partnership with First Nations and the Regional District as well as the potential for new area based tenures.
The communities of Nechako-Lakes share common interests and goals with the success of one helping the economy of all. Just this year across Nechako-Lakes we鈥檝e seen funding for a new Hospital, Sports Complex and road improvements for 亚洲天堂 Lake, a new School in Granisle, a new Water Treatment facility for Houston, a new Community Forest for Fraser Lake, Hospital Renovations, a new Community Forest and a Nechako White Sturgeon Conservation Facility in Vanderhoof, funding for a new Community Centre in Fort St. James as well as significant road improvements.
Under the BC Liberals we鈥檝e invested between $300 and $400 million in projects across Nechako-Lakes including more than $170 million in road improvements. These investments strengthen our economy and in turn support success in 亚洲天堂 Lake.
By controlling spending, we鈥檝e balanced our budget and are projecting an $850 million surplus over the next 3 years while maintaining BC鈥檚 AAA debt rating.
We鈥檙e providing an Early Childhood Tax Benefit, Back-to-school Tax Credit, Fitness Equipment Tax Credit and a 40% cut to the small business tax rate.
Our plan outlines improvements: For agriculture: eliminating the carbon tax on coloured fuel for our agriculture sector, introducing a new meat inspection system, supporting the buy local campaign; For mining: investing in GeoScience BC which is undertaking another major project in Nechako-Lakes, completing the Northwest Transmission Line, Extending the New Mine Allowance, pushing for a Single Environmental Review Process; For training: $75 million for upgraded facilities and equipment, expanded training in high schools, work on partnerships between industry and schools; For communities: commence revenue sharing discussions with rural resource communities to help them provide services and prepare for future growth.
But perhaps the most exciting opportunity facing BC is the choice to become Debt Free. Liquefied Natural Gas holds enormous potential with 9 proposals from the largest gas companies in the world. These projects combined with an increase in natural gas production to feed the LNG facilities means significant new revenues for BC. Our plan is to be disciplined and lock these gains into a new BC Prosperity Fund with a goal of eliminating BC鈥檚 debt in 15 years. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to leave a better BC for our children and grandchildren.
On May 14th, I鈥檓 asking for your support to continue working on your behalf to help build a strong economy and a secure tomorrow.
Sussanne Skidmore-Hewlett
B.C. NDP
British Columbians are ready for change, and a vote for Sussanne Skidmore-Hewlett would mean 亚洲天堂 Lake and this entire region would have a strong voice in the new government.
I have always been a fierce advocate for what I believe in. Never one to be afraid of speaking up for what I believe in, I鈥檝e fought for the needs of my family, for my co-workers, for people who I thought needed help.
That鈥檚 the attitude I brought with me to the campaign trail and it鈥檚 the attitude I will bring to Victoria if the voters of Nechako-Lakes put their faith in me May 14.
It鈥檚 also the attitude that attracted me to run as a New Democrat as part of Adrian Dix鈥檚 team.
The NDP plan is a well-rounded plan, one that focusses on the needs of the north and especially the needs of small, northern communities like 亚洲天堂 Lake. It means protecting and supporting jobs in resource industries. We have a well-rounded plan to make sure we don鈥檛 miss economic development in mining - at risk because of the Liberals鈥� mismanagement. We have a comprehensive plan to get the most out of our public forests by encouraging value-added manufacturing and getting more jobs out of the trees we cut. And we鈥檙e going to support all resource industries with investment in skills training and post-secondary education.
We will get the fundamentals right and put the priorities of northerners first.
A vote for Sussanne Skidmore-Hewlett would also mean better health care in this region, with a rural health care initiative that would reduce wait times for specialists, surgeries and diagnostics. It would mean improvements to seniors care, with more funding for home care so seniors can stay in homes longer - an improvement that is not only better for those seniors but will be the best use of important health care dollars. And it would mean improved learning conditions in elementary and secondary school.
The NDP are also committed to improving relationships with First Nations, respecting the right to consultation, revitalizing the treaty process and honouring the historical and cultural contribution of First Nations, by working with elders to preserve threatened languages.
After 12 years of a Liberal government, it鈥� time for a change. New Democrats are offering a practical plan that reflects the priorities of rural British Columbians, especially those in the north. We will get the fundamentals right and put the priorities of northerners first. There鈥檚 a reason Adrian came to the north to announce his forestry and mining plans; these are crucial issues to northern communities.
A vote for Sussanne Skidmore Hewlett means supporting those priorities and having a strong voice in the new government - someone who will fight for those priorities, as I have fought for the needs of my family, my friends, my co-workers and for all people who needed help.
I hope on May 14, everyone eligible will exercise their right to vote, and I look forward to representing Nechako Lakes in Victoria.
