Vancouver--The conclusion of Elections BC’s final count of voting results today creates an historic opportunity for lasting and profound change in our province, says BC Federation of Labour President Irene Lanzinger.
“I’m optimistic that negotiators for the BC NDP and the Greens will be able to find common ground on a progressive plan to govern,” says Lanzinger. “The vast majority of British Columbians voted for change May 9, and I’m hopeful that message will soon be reflected in Victoria.”
Lanzinger says key elements of a progressive agenda for change that already enjoy broad public support include taking big money out of politics by banning union and corporate donations. Another would be to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour to lift 500,000 BC workers above the poverty line.
Strengthening health and safety protections on the job for BC workers would also be a popular priority, Lanzinger says, through stronger rules, more stringent enforcement, more investment in prevention, and tougher penalties for employers whose negligence kills or injures a worker.
And she says a simple step that a progressive government could take to create good-paying jobs and provide economic opportunities for young people, would be designating a minimum number of apprentice trades people on all public infrastructure projects.