Mr. Speaker, with the Conservative government, British Columbia does not matter.
British Columbia has been experiencing the loss of good jobs in softwood lumber because of the appalling sellout and, now recently, in the aviation industry with the layoff of over 700 highly qualified personnel in Vancouver.
The Conservative government refuses to take any action to keep quality Canadian jobs in Canada, including in B.C. It refuses to provide even a penny for the World Police and Fire Games held in B.C.
B.C. is not even included in the government's definition of Canada. The Minister of Finance, during his budget speech, defined Canada as ending at the Rockies.
Yes, there is life west of Banff, with the exception of the B.C. Conservative caucus, and there are pressing needs to address the hemorrhaging of good quality jobs, the pine beetle devastation, the crisis in affordable housing, west coast fisheries, leaky condos and the highest child poverty rates in Canada.
The government has taken British Columbia for granted and British Columbians will remember.