With all the financial worry going on around the world, I am thankful for our financially-conservative Liberal government and our recent budget. From Greece and the European Union, to the USA, to Ontario, the stories of financial crisis from over-spending are real, and these crises are drifting ever-closer. Our province now seems like a small island of stability in the rough seas of the global economy.
As a small business owner in the tourism industry, I have certainly noticed a decline in both European and American clients in the past two years, all because of declining tourism dollars available from people who live in these two important markets. So, we've had to tighten our belts as a result, as have many other small businesses who have been impacted by declines in the world economy.
We simply can't spend what we don't have, and from the conversations I've had with other folks since the budget was announced, real people seem to understand this. So why are the media and other politicians always so critical?
I don't want to return to the mess our province was in when I moved back here in the '90s, when B.C. became a “have-not” province. There is a good reason B.C. has the best credit rating available now, and that is because we have been financially prudent for the better part of a decade. Our continued financial prudence today, especially keeping in mind what is going on in the world around us, will ensure that we'll continue to have a positive future, including health care, education, and all of the benefits we enjoy as British Columbians.
Sue VandeVelde-Savola
Hope-Othello