For Christy Clark, it's job-creation week

[NAB]

Edit to add: Ya just gotta love the typical Liberal hyper spin..... "1500 person years of employment" (IF it goes ahead)....LOL

Jeeesh! A whole week (mostly politicking and big grin photo-ops I expect). How DOES she find the time with all that attention actually getting down to work and governing the province and being available to meet and communicate with the real people in the trenches requires of her?

Excerpts:

Premier Christy Clark will tour the future home of a $4.5-billion liquefied natural-gas facility on Monday, kicking off a week of announcements to lay out her job-creation program for British Columbians.

It also underscores how difficult Ms. Clark’s task is. With no major stimulus spending program to lean on, her government has few levers to deliver a quick job fix.

The proposed Kitimat LNG plant and terminal will condense natural gas from B.C. and Alberta so it can be shipped across the Pacific out of Bish Cove on B.C.’s North Coast.

As the financial backers make their decisions about whether to invest in Kitimat LNG, final export permits have yet to be issued and a faster process could help. But the biggest hurdle remains a commitment from the Crown utility, BC Hydro, to supply electricity to the plant.

Converting natural gas to liquid, by chilling it to –160 degrees, reduces the volume for transport. The process requires large amounts of energy – the Kitimat plant would, by itself, increase BC Hydro’s domestic demand by roughly 5 per cent.

The project promises 1,500 person-years of employment if it goes ahead, but the Premier would be stretching things to take credit for those jobs. Site preparation is now under way, three years after environmental approvals were granted.

The Kitimat LNG project is a suitable backdrop for all that her B.C. government wants to encourage – energy exports to Asia, private-sector investment, and family-supporting jobs.

Jock Finlayson, economist for the Business Council of B.C., said the government shouldn’t be judged on how the province’s jobless statistics change from month to month in the short term.

“It’s a foolish narrative,” he said. “We’re caught up in a very challenging global economic situation. We are in for a rough time and the provincial government can’t fix that.”

Ms. Clark has given herself five days – an announcement every day this week – to explain her objectives.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/nat ... le2170571/

[The Green Barbarian]

why would you spin a good-news story like this one as a negative? I get that you are bitter, but this seems like you are reaching for the sake of reaching.

[grammafreddy]

Well, here's hoping NONE of them are government jobs and NONE have government cash subsidies to kick-start them.

[grammafreddy]

why would you spin a good-news story like this one as a negative? I get that you are bitter, but this seems like you are reaching for the sake of reaching.

You haven't heard it all yet. She's gonna explain the "deed" over the next five days. I'm not sure I can handle five days of her peppy little nose-scrunching cuteness.

So far what I am seeing is that BC Hydro is going to have a 5% increase in demand but they are telling us they are short of power so we all have to have prime-time billing with Smart Meters.

I'm waiting to hear all her wonderful plans for older workers (45-60) who can't get a job because of their age. Actually, I'm not. Some little boogeyman is whispering in my ear that all this grandstanding is gonna end up nailing us once again in the pocketbook to pay for it all.

[Ford4x4Truck]

I also think that we should make fun of her and her plans before she does anything. How dare she do her job and not be able to please everyone!!!

[Sn0man]

I also think that we should make fun of her and her plans before she does anything. How dare she do her job and not be able to please everyone!!!

If only she could please ANYONE

[Ford4x4Truck]

There's another thread here where a lot of people are saying she's doing fine, so obviously she's pleasing some people. Even if people in this thread disagree with her policies, there's no need to make fun of her nose and demeanor.

[grammafreddy]

There's another thread here where a lot of people are saying she's doing fine, so obviously she's pleasing some people. Even if people in this thread disagree with her policies, there's no need to make fun of her nose and demeanor.

Oh poofles

[xjeepguy]

I'm waiting to hear all her wonderful plans for older workers (45-60) who can't get a job because of their age.

That seems to be an Okanagan thing Granny . The place I work at in Alberta , 60 year old man walked into the office and had a driving job within the hour . There they look at what you can do , not your DOB . I have quite a few friends here in that 50ish age bracket who have said *bleep* this place and gone to work in Alta. I was really surprised to see the volume of people from Kelowna out there. Out in Alta , all over its a feeling of a lot going on and here its like a economic funeral about to happen.

[NAB]

Government doesn't create jobs (well, except for bloated bureaucracy or private sector "consultants" to government and IPP's I suppose). So it will be interesting to hear specifically what government action Christy has in mind that she feels will actually create any NEW full time long term, secure well paying jobs and economic expansion in BC any time soon, (that are not already on the books like this Kitimat thing has been for so long now) ....instead of just moving jobs (and people) around or replacing those that have been lost in recent years. IMO it is time (whether talking federally or provincially) for the private sector to step up to the plate and do a lot more of the heavy lifting itself... ....as the individual consumer/taxpayer have done more than their share in recent years, and are tapped out, many even beyond tapped out. Also, there is unlikely to be any more government money available for short term temporary job stimulus, at least at the provincial or municipal level and without going deeper into deficit and debt.

“We’re caught up in a very challenging global economic situation. We are in for a rough time and the provincial government can’t fix that.”

(Jock Finlayson, economist for the Business Council of B.C.)

Edit to add: What I'll be looking for are any moves that will extract LESS money out of CONSUMERS pockets by government, it's agencies, and private sector monopolies and oligopolies to boost consumer confidence and resulting spending (at least by those who have extra money to spend) - and programs/regulation/closing of tax loopholes to ensure that extra money is spent and kept locally, ...or at least within BC.

[Smurf]

I have to agree. Although we are still basically doing what we want we are probably as tight with our money right now as we have ever been. Unless things improve we will get tighter. Now and in the future that means spending money like fuel for the motorhome outside of BC. Family just came back from a short trip to the US. They stayed in the brand new hotel across the street from the Skagit casino 5 min north of Burlington Washington, approx 115 miles south of Vancouver. Beautiful new hotel $69.00 a night with a full breakfast in the morning. When people are on a tight rope they are going to do this instead of spending at home where it is much more expensive. Gas is much cheaper. You can afford to drive around on vacation. What do we do. We put on an ever increasing carbon tax on our already expensive fuel and then hope for tourism. Christy is going to have to create a ton of good paying jobs to do any good.

[NAB]

Personally, I'd be laying significant tax INCREASES on business, then rewarding them with tax decreases based on the value of jobs they actually produce and maintain, ....instead of giving them favours in advance and hoping they eventually step up to the plate in response - which to me only fools would do. And get rid of their tax loopholes, subsidies, and reduced taxes in lieu of subsidies, and make it worth their while to actually perform on behalf of BC. Many of us expect performance related rewards for our employees (private and public) - why not for business too?

Flat tax works for me too - say 20% - 25% right across the board be it individuals or businesses (federal and provincial combined), ...but get rid of all the other crap taxes and usurious rates and fees and special interests loopholes except perhaps for a reasonable VAT/HST of around 5 - 10% based on the original GST formula and exemption list - divided equally between provinces and federal - provinces share on a per capita basis, and get rid of this transfers nonsense.

Nab

[steven lloyd]

... it will be interesting to hear specifically what government action Christy has in mind that she feels will actually create any NEW full time long term, secure well paying jobs and economic expansion in BC any time soon, (that are not already on the books like this Kitimat thing has been for so long now) ....

Well, when she goes to Asia and everyone sees how cute she is I’m sure foreign private investors will be lined up at our doors. Good chance she’ll also be available for any ribbon-cutting ceremonies in Kitimat given how much she had to do with that.

[grammafreddy]

Personally, I'd be laying significant tax INCREASES on business, then rewarding them with tax decreases based on the value of jobs they actually produce and maintain, ....instead of giving them favours in advance and hoping they eventually step up to the plate in response - which to me only fools would do. And get rid of their tax loopholes, subsidies, and reduced taxes in lieu of subsidies, and make it worth their while to actually perform on behalf of BC. Many of us expect performance related rewards for our employees (private and public) - why not for business too?

Flat tax works for me too - say 20% - 25% right across the board be it individuals or businesses (federal and provincial combined), ...but get rid of all the other crap taxes and usurious rates and fees and special interests loopholes except perhaps for a reasonable VAT/HST of around 5 - 10% based on the original GST formula and exemption list - divided equally between provinces and federal - provinces share on a per capita basis, and get rid of this transfers nonsense.

Nab

Oh my.

[NAB]

LOL gramma. Do the math ;-)

Anyway, back to the topic... not much for the Heartland, Kootenays, or the island yet it appears...

Christy Clark's jobs agenda recycling of old projects
By Michael Smyth, The ProvinceSeptember 20, 2011 5:14 AM

Christy Clark's road-trip-for-jobs is straight out of a modern political playbook that says when the other stuff isn't working, go back to basics.

"It's the economy, stupid," was the way Democratic strategist James Carville tagged it during the recession of the early 1990s, and it still stands up today.

Clark is smart to try to brand herself as "the jobs premier" at a time of economic uncertainty, when people want to hear a hopeful message about the future.

But the operative word is "try." Those same economic storms have buffeted the government, too, and Clark doesn't have a lot of money to spend on direct job creation — not if she keeps her promise to balance the budget in 2013.

So, expect many re-announcements of old projects. The proposed Kitimat liquefied natural gas plant Clark trumpeted Monday, for example, was approved three years ago.

She's also expected to cheerlead the Northwest Transmission Line project this week, another one that's been in development for years.

Without a lot of money to throw around, Clark will talk about getting government out of the way of private-sector job creation. Deregulation and cutting red tape is less expensive than direct stimulus spending to create jobs.

The environmentalists won't be happy when she starts fast-tracking permits for mining and other resource extraction, but losing "green" votes is the least of her worries.

http://www.theprovince.com/business/Chr ... story.html

Premier Christy Clark promised funding for the Port of Prince Rupert, and support for liquefied natural gas projects, on the first day of her week-long job creation program.

But it meant little for Vancouver Island industries, and critics accused her of recycling old promises from former premier Gordon Campbell.

Clark pledged $15 million for a port rail project in Prince Rupert, which she said will help B.C. meet the increasing demand for coal and other goods in the growing Asia-Pacific marketplace. The project will generate 576 jobs during construction, she said.

"We need to send a message to the world, to investors, that if you invest in British Columbia, if you invest in jobs in our province, you will get a return on your investments," said Clark. Investors must see "that we're a safe, reputable, dependable place in a world that has become a very stormy sea," she added.

The $90-million port rail project will also receive $30 million each from CN Rail and the Prince Rupert Port Authority, and a possible $15 million from the federal government. It's considered the first phase of a $300-million port upgrade.

Clark also visited Kitimat, where she said B.C. will accelerate permits for large-scale liquefied natural gas projects, such as the $4.5-billion Kitimat LNG terminal. That project will generate 1,500 "person-years of work" and up to 140 permanent jobs once operational, government said.

NDP critic Carole James called the announcements a rehash of the Liberals' Pacific Gateway action plan from 2006.

"I'm glad that Christy Clark has discovered Gordon Campbell's plan from 2006 and she's going to put some funding into it, but it's not anything new," said James. "I certainly expected more."

James also criticized Clark for not visiting Vancouver Island during her week of announcements. Nanaimo has the highest unemployment rate of B.C. cities.

The Prince Rupert and Kitimat announcements appear to mean little for the Island. The Greater Victoria Harbour Authority says it hopes to have an Ogden Point master plan and market assessment done by the middle of next year, and will then know what kind of projects it could ask the provincial government to support.

But it's unlikely Greater Victoria's port will have much to do with the premier's focus on Asia-Pacific trade, CEO Curtis Grad said.

"We're not going to be competing with the likes of Vancouver or Prince Rupert for the major commodity-type stuff," said Grad.

Greater Victoria's projects are more regional or domestic, he said.

"We have to be realistic about our future here. What would probably open us to an Asia gateway is cruise [ships], if the market and infrastructure was there," said Grad. "But that's many years away."

More opportunities could emerge if Victoria International Airport were able to expand its runway, said Grad. The 444-metre runway expansion would allow for direct flights to London and China. But so far, the provincial government has not promised any money toward the $32-million proposal.

Clark will spend the rest of the week rolling out her jobs program, under the slogan "Canada starts here."

The full plan will be released Thursday when Clark speaks to the Vancouver Board of Trade.

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/thewes ... story.html