Details of the NDP BC Government Recovery Plan
to Restructure the State to Pay the Rich and Strengthen the Domination of the
Global Oligarchy over the Province

The following excerpts are taken directly from the "Stronger BC for Everyone: BC's Economic Recovery Plan" and Backgrounder with comments in double parentheses.

((Premier Horgan in his introduction speaks of "investing in health care, getting people back to work, supporting businesses and communities, and investing in the future." It should be noted that for the government "investing in health care" means providing public funds for private interests, including privately owned acute-care clinics and long-term care homes, hospital supply companies and of course the pharmaceutical sector. Even the building of public hospitals funnels money to the big construction companies.))

With rent supports and tax breaks, we helped thousands of businesses get through the worst of the crisis. Now, we will make it easier for them to hire and invest. [...] That's why our plan includes measures to help businesses invest in new technology to create the jobs of the future....

Overall, moving toward a more resilient economy means getting British Columbians back to work, while supporting the infrastructure, services, and shared growth that will keep us competitive in a sustainable economy of the future.

((Why not get workers back to work through public enterprises, which become forms of stable secure employment that can invest much of the new value workers produce into extended reproduction of the economy and not have it drained away as global private profit.

The aim to become "competitive" is a neo-liberal fraud. The modern socialized economy requires cooperation for mutual benefit not competition for maximum private profit, which often degenerates into fights over control of state institutions, global acrimony, sanctions, blockades and war.))

We all have an interest in helping businesses create jobs. [The measures in the Plan] will make health care better, while supporting jobs and the businesses that create them.

((The notion that private business and the imperialists are "job creators" is a neo-liberal distortion. The modern economy creates jobs by combining means of production with the capacity to work of the working class whether public or private. Those in control of private means of production need to buy the capacity to work of the working class, for work to proceed and thus allow the owners to expropriate the added-value workers produce. Without workers producing through their work on the means of production no new value is created from which owners can expropriate profit. The issue is who controls the economy and for what aim: the working people with the aim to meet the needs of the people and society or the global oligarchs with the aim of maximum private profit.))

These significant new investments will reinforce other ongoing investments we continue to make in major critical-infrastructure projects such as public-transit, roads, bridges, affordable housing, hospitals, and schools.

((All "major critical-infrastructure projects" are public-private projects either controlled directly by private interests yet financed with major public funding arising from taxes and borrowing from private moneylenders or public projects constructed privately using public funds from taxes and borrowing from private moneylenders, and often managed and controlled privately.))

In Canada, economic activity fell by an annualized 38.7 per cent in the second quarter of 2020 -- a record drop in such a short period of time. In BC, the unemployment rate increased to 13.4 per cent in May from 5.0 per cent in February. ...

The public-facing service sector was hit very hard, with employment declines concentrated in retail trade, information, culture and recreation, and accommodation and food services. Women and youth were especially affected, since they tend to be over-represented in some of the hardest hit service sectors. And women were more likely to be affected by the sudden lack of childcare resulting from the closure of schools and childcare centres.

The result was a situation in which the most vulnerable people in the labour market bore the brunt of the slowdown.

((The government description is self-serving in the sense that it does not go into the root of the crisis, which is found in the contradiction between the socialized interconnected economic base of the modern economy and its private ownership of competing parts. Private ownership with its aim of maximum profit for its part of the economy cannot meet the overall needs of the people, society and Mother Earth because that is not its aim. Nor can the competing parts keep the whole moving without falling into recurring crises. A modern interrelated economy needs cooperation and planning for mutual benefit and to meet the needs of the people and society. Competition for private sectarian gain comes into contradiction with other parts of the economy and the whole becoming a factor for crisis.))

Business supports [by governments] offered some protection, as well as short-term incentives to keep employees on staff. The Bank of Canada also moved quickly to ensure liquidity and stability in the financial markets.

((These measures were to ensure that the global rich did not descend into total chaos fighting each other to save their private interests against their rivals, including in the financial markets. It should be noted that the financial markets, such as the stock and commodity markets and big moneylenders, have done remarkably well in 2020 with many of the wealthiest oligarchs greatly increasing their personal fortunes.))

Even still, retail sales fell sharply, with nominal retail sales in BC experiencing its largest monthly decline on record in April. ... [BC had] 149,600 fewer jobs in August compared to February. ...

After a very difficult number of months, many businesses continue to experience serious cash-flow problems, but with limited capacity to take on even more debt. ,,, [M]any business owners remain concerned about the general state of their business' health, and in particular, the short-term outlook. ...

Building economic momentum requires supporting employment and restoring business and consumer confidence. This recovery plan is a significant step in that direction. It helps businesses hire, make capital investments, or just get through the months ahead.

((The government Plan politicizes private interests. To serve public interests requires investing in public enterprise and services by involving and mobilizing the human factor/social consciousness both to find a new pro-social direction for the economy that goes to the heart of the problem of recurring crises and resolves it and, in the present conditions, to defeat COVID-19.))

These important measures will keep thousands of people attached to their jobs, and will help firms survive, even if not at full capacity for now.

((The government is obsessed with this aim of survival of private interests and enterprise through paying the rich and is determined to bring in structural changes to accomplish this regardless of the consequences.))

It is clear that strong and sustained public investment will be required in the months and years ahead. This is not to say that the government will simply hire everyone who lost a job -- far from it. Most of the jobs will come from the private sector. But the private sector cannot be expected to get there on its own.

((This is neo-liberal dogma dictating the direction. The private sector is presented as needing public investment to survive. Accepting that premise means permitting private interests to directly take over the institutions and agencies of the state to pay the rich and sustain their social class privilege and power over the working class. The working people reject that direction and want a new one to stop paying the rich and stop pandering to their social class privilege and power.))

The public sector has the unique responsibility to help create overall economic growth as a primary goal. And the economic shocks brought on by COVID-19 mandate going beyond the policy tools that are often used to stimulate growth during a "normal" downturn.

Major, sustained public investments in infrastructure, like roads, bridges, health care, childcare, housing and education, are essential to restoring public confidence and stimulating aggregate demand.

((Here come structural changes in the state machinery to pay the rich but couched in neo-liberal jargon to fool the gullible. The merging of public and private is such that the politicization of private interests is glossed over or camouflaged even though it stares everyone in the face. Even the public borrowing from private global moneylenders to pay for all these so-called public projects is hidden in such a way that the people cannot readily see that it is just another unnecessary pay-the-rich scheme.))

These investments will create jobs, boost demand, and grow the economy in the short term and the long term. They represent the foundation upon which our recovery must be built, while providing an opportunity to partner with other levels of government to further expand these critical investments.

((The "foundation" is made of sand and will liquefy and collapse again with the next economic earthquake.))

Investments of these levels offer enormous advantages: they will improve quality of life for British Columbians, with new homes, schools, hospitals and community spaces. Value-added services and strategic infrastructure, from highways and bridges to childcare spaces, will make the economy more productive by getting people to work and goods to market for years to come.

((The rich hide the fact that private enterprise, especially the big cartels, should realize (pay for) socially-provided infrastructure and means of production as they use and consume its value. Without the value from infrastructure, including education and health care, the modern economy could not function. But without the other sectors and parts of the economy realizing (paying for) the portion of value they consume of what workers produce in the infrastructure and the many social programs such as education and health care the economy goes into crisis.))

Sustainable transportation, green energy and food security will tackle climate change and make our province more resilient and self-sufficient in the face of what is likely to be an uncertain global economy.

Robust and targeted investments in connectivity, digital tools for business and technology will create rewarding careers. These investments will not happen on their own. While some might call for a return to cuts and austerity, that approach would prevent, rather than restore, growth.

((Private, especially large investments do not happen on their own. The global oligarchs want and need public money otherwise investments will not happen. They even canvass jurisdictions for the best pay-the-rich scheme, playing one off against another, such as Amazon did in its decadent hunt for a second headquarters.

The BC government hopes that the exciting tone of its remarks will disguise the true nature of its Plan to restructure the economy to better pay the rich. Notice the neo-liberal echo of the Trudeau government Throne Speech, "This is not the time for austerity." The global oligarchs are now desperate to save their private interests through public spending using borrowed money from the global private moneylenders. Austerity and not-austerity are not the issue; they both are features of the anti-social offensive, depending on conditions and the dictate of the oligarchy. That discussion is a blind alley to lead people into discussing "good" and "bad" policies of the cartel parties instead of organizing and fighting for a new direction for the economy that stops paying the rich and increases investments in social programs and organizing for political empowerment of the working people and their emancipation from social class exploitation.))

This Recovery Plan is both a response to the immediate needs facing hard working British Columbians and the businesses that employ them -- and a recommitment to quality long-term economic growth that is broadly spread throughout all of British Columbia, to the benefit of all British Columbians.

(("Quality long-term economic growth [...] to the benefit of all" is not the aim of the imperialist economy. The actual aim of maximum private profit arising out of the outmoded relations of production is found in the economy itself between those who control the economy and buy the capacity to work of the working class and those who sell their capacity to work and have no control over the economy or the social product they produce.

Hard working British Columbians do not control the economy or the aim of those who employ them. For the aim of the economy to become "for the benefit of all," new relations of production would have to come into being with the working class gaining control of the economy and the social product and its distribution.))

The goal is "quality economic growth" that opens the door to reduced inequality and a fairer, more inclusive and prosperous society.

((The government is being disingenuous to declare "quality economic growth" as the goal for the economy. The entire Plan is to pay the rich and let them make the decisions on the economy according to their narrow private interests. Their private interests are not directed towards "quality economic growth" but maximum private profit for their particular business. Having private profit as the aim of the economy dictates that inequality and concentration of wealth in fewer hands are constant features. How can it be otherwise? The added-value workers produce is not for public use but private use and can be taken out of the economy for use elsewhere if that is what the owners of the added-value dictate.))

To speed up what will be a challenging and lengthy recovery, we need to ensure a competitive business environment to create the conditions necessary to raise wages, keep life more affordable and support vital public services like health, education and childcare.

((The modern socialized economy needs cooperation for mutual benefit and extended reproduction to meet the needs of the people. A "competitive business environment" is what causes problems in the first place and a factor sending the economy into crisis.

The government spouts the neo-liberal trickledown theory that by paying the rich and their private enterprises, the working people benefit from higher wages, social programs and eventually a more equitable economy and society. Not true and the proof of the pudding is in the eating! Under the imperialist economy the rich become richer and the poor poorer both during "normal" times and in times of economic crises and recovery. The government even admits, "Women and youth were especially affected [by the crisis], since they tend to be over-represented in some of the hardest hit service sectors [...] The most vulnerable people in the labour market bore the brunt of the slowdown."))

The framework seeks to build on our traditional resource and manufacturing sectors, while fostering the growth of new and complementary sectors such as clean technology and the creative industries.

((Oh yes certainly, we all know that hydraulic fracturing and LNG are extremely clean and green. And how exactly is the government "building on the traditional" forest industry, which is in constant crisis?

The Plan mentions "creative industries" without spilling the beans that it has turned the province and its human resources over to the U.S. imperialist movie and TV industries. Some of the "creative" U.S. oligarchs benefiting from BC pay-the-rich schemes are Disney, Netflix, Lifetime (co-owned by Hearst and Disney), Hallmark and other major Hollywood producers.))

The benefits of growth need to be more equally distributed. That means distributing growth across the province, not just in urban centres where living costs are high and public services already strained. It means ensuring all British Columbians have access to good jobs.

((The government spouts empty policy objectives. The economy is not in it or the people's hands. The imperialists control and dictate where major investments are made, such as the massive construction projects LNG Canada and Site C. The concentration of people in the lower mainland, as in all big imperialist cities, is where the larger scale of development best offers maximum profits.))

Our government acted quickly to support businesses. We:

Cut most commercial property tax bills by an average 25 per cent, providing $700 million in relief;

Allowed businesses to defer 2019 Employer Health Tax filing and balance due date until September 30, 2020 and subsequently deferred 2020 installment dates to December 2020 or later; ...

Deferred payments for PST, hotel tax, carbon tax, motor fuel tax and tobacco tax by six months;

Forgave BC Hydro bills between April and June for small businesses that had to close due to COVID-19 during those months, saving those businesses on average $483.

((And using additional money and resources from the federal government the BC government provided:))

The Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) to support businesses who retain their workers through the downturn;

The Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) Program to support the hardest-hit businesses and cost-shared with the Province;

Significant liquidity supports targeted to small and medium-sized businesses,

Encouraging businesses to hire more workers by offering a 15% tax credit on eligible new payroll;

Providing a temporary PST rebate on select machinery and equipment to make it easier for businesses to bet on themselves by making the kinds of investments that will allow them to grow and become more productive;

Helping protect more than 200,000 jobs with a new $300 million Small and Medium-Sized Business Recovery Grant. [The grant] will directly support thousands of businesses in hard-hit industries that have a good chance to thrive in the long term. This grant includes an enhanced amount for tourism operators, and funding for business advisory services to help participating businesses establish a path forward;

((In this regard, the government interferes with the "hidden hand of the market," which according to capitalist mythology is supposed to dictate for the greater good whether a private enterprise survives or fails.))

Deferring the scheduled increase to the carbon tax to April 1, 2021;

Providing support to help businesses manufacture critical products that BC has experienced shortages of during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Further, there will be:

New resources to support businesses who want to build their online presence, boost their e-commerce operations, or increase their digital marketing capacity;

((The federal government has partnered with Shopify in a similar venture. Whether the BC government is using Shopify has not yet been revealed. Note that the CEO of Shopify is now one of the richest oligarchs in Canada, having seen his net worth skyrocket during the pandemic and after "partnering" with the Trudeau government.))

Grants to help BC agritech companies grow, and turn innovative ideas into jobs;

New opportunities for food processing businesses by expanding the successful and innovative BC Food Hub Network with seven new locations;

Further investments in the Connecting British Columbia Program to enhance connectivity along major routes and for rural communities.

((All of these "initiatives" preclude investments in public enterprise with a new aim to serve the people and over which a public authority accountable to the people could be established.))

((This admission should lead to an analysis of why this happens and perhaps to the conclusion that this is how the imperialist economy operates raising the necessity to extricate the province and country from it. Instead, the government proposes throwing even more public funds at private enterprises that are deeply entangled in the imperialist web and become targets for takeover. Once fattened up so to speak the companies become competitive targets of the global cartels, which tend to eliminate smaller competitors by consuming them. Recently, this has been particularly evident in the tech sector.))

((Imperialist monsters such as Microsoft and Amazon have grown larger from taking over successful start-ups, including those that have been scaled up with public funds.))

((This is a strange boast given the billions of dollars in tax breaks and other pay-the-rich schemes the government has given to the $40 billion LNG Canada project of the global oligarchy. The LNG Canada project is also tied with the huge public/private Site C dam project. Site C is supposed to supply power to LNG Canada in Kitimat and the northeast hydraulic fracturing gas wells, with electricity flowing through transmission lines built specifically for those projects by BC Hydro.))

((These are itemized in the following Table.))

((The plan uses the current threat of Climate Change and the damage the imperialists have already done to Mother Earth as an impulse for pay-the-rich schemes to "green" imperialists. The Site C project is classified as "green" and it will power LNG Canada, which the BC government enthusiastically calls "the largest private sector investment in Canadian history" albeit with considerable public funding and other state support including the RCMP and courts to attack Indigenous rights.))

((This rent money flows to landlords, some small, but many large holders of housing units.))

((A study should be made as to what would have happened to those hotels if the government had not bought them. Many hotels are in crisis. The new Trump Hotel in Vancouver recently closed for good.))

Note from the Backgrounder to the Economic Recovery Plan

((The following extracts are from the government's Backgrounder. They provide a summary and additional details of the Recovery Plan that politicizes private interests, revealing its scope.))

((This piggybacks on the federal pay-the-rich scheme for the global auto monopolies to build electric vehicles. The Trudeau Liberal government has already announced $500 million for the Ford Motor Company.))

((This highlights how these investments benefit the private construction monopolies. The complete BC Recovery Plan is available here and the Backgrounders are available here.))