Last week, the Campbell administration announced it would miss its 2009/10 deficit target by $2.28 billion, in part because of a dramatic decline in natural gas royalties.
But the finance ministry's two top bureaucrats never discussed that dramatic decline with one another or members of the premier's office - at least in writing.
In response to a freedom of information requested filed by Public Eye, the ministry has stated neither its deputy minister Chris Trumpy nor his successor Graham Whitmarsh sent any such records between January and May 22.
"It is surprising, obviously," commented NDP finance critic Bruce Ralston. "One wouldn't have thought these were state secrets. These are pretty basic trends in natural resource prices. It's the staple of budget making."
"But maybe there's some other channel that information travels back and forth in. They certainly don't tell me. But it's something that requires explanation."
Trumpy retired in March and was replaced by Whitmarsh, his associate deputy minister.
Fahrenheit 451 revisited
"It's like the children's burn unit, you don't cut it until it's the very last thing."
That's how Community and Rural Development Minister Bill Bennett reportedly described the Campbell administration's commitment to funding libraries during a reception held last month at the Cranbrook Public Library.
But just 11 days later, his government announced that funding would be cut by 22 per cent over previous years to $13.7 million.
This despite the fact that, according to The Cranbrook Daily Townsman, Bennett told reception attendees funding for the city's library would remain intact and that, as far as he knew, there hadn't been any talk about cuts in Victoria.
When asked about that apparent inconsistency last week, Bennett told Public Eye, "I support libraries just as I think any elected person does from either side of the house.
"But I was quite clear with the folks that day. I took the time to walk them through the fiscal situation that the province was in and warned them we were going to have to wrestle with some difficult choices."
Taken for granted
Last month, the Campbell administration cancelled annual grants worth approximately $110 million to improve and repair the province's schools. But at least one Liberal backbencher had previously hoped the government would actually increase that funding.
In 2008, Jane Thornthwaite was among four North Vancouver school board members who encouraged the BC School Trustees Association to lobby then education minister Shirley Bond for such an increase. This, according to the board's meeting minutes for April 22 of that year.
But, as the MLA for Vancouver-Seymour, Thornthwaite doesn't seem to be as gung-ho about boosting that funding. In an interview with Public Eye, she said, "This year is different than last year - we're in different economic times. The emphasis of the ministry of education was to maintain the money in the classrooms."
As a result, "getting school gyms refurbished for the school year was not classified as a priority."
Nevertheless, when those economic times turnaround, will Thornthwaite once again advocate for an increase to the annual facilities grants?
"I definitely will support what the school districts have decided with regard to their priorities. I appreciate the expertise they have and only they have," she replied, adding, "They're the best people to make that decision - not me."
British Columbia's school trustees have protested the cancellation of the grants, with the president of their association Connie Denesiuk personally expressing her "extreme unhappiness" to Education Minister Margaret MacDiarmid.
Sean Holman is editor of the online provincial political news journal Public Eye (publiceyeonline.com). He can be reached at [email protected].
