Last week, Premier Horgan announced he would be pausing his vanity museum project and undertaking a public engagement process. It came as welcome news to the vast majority of British Columbians who oppose the project, especially at a time when there are so many other critical issues in our province that need to be addressed.
While I am relieved to see the RBCM project paused, and I thank everyone who joined me in calling on the Premier to change his mind, I can’t get over the fact the NDP ever thought it was a good idea in the first place. At the press conference announcing the pause, Horgan was asked whether anyone in his government or staff had ever expressed reservations about the museum plan. According to the Premier, not a single person raised concerns, in fact, the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture said her Cabinet colleagues gave her a standing ovation.
In my mind, that tells you everything you need to know about the NDP’s judgment and priorities. There was no one in the room who thought maybe it wasn’t a good idea to spend $1 billion on a museum while our health care system is crumbling, gas and grocery prices are skyrocketing, and many other issues need to be addressed. The only reason government decided it was time to pause the museum was because of a bad opinion poll that showed a staggering 70 per cent of people oppose the project.
Everyone knows the right thing to do is to cancel the project, and put funding into the issues impacting people all over the province. Issues like inflation, the health care crisis, or local infrastructure projects like the repairs needed on Canim Lake, Horse Lake, and Dog Creek roads here in the Cariboo.
After the Premier’s failed museum project, I hope he and his government have learned a lesson about priorities and the need to make investments throughout B.C. Unfortunately, I don’t hold out much hope the lesson will stick.
news@wltribune.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter