Today marks day 4 of the big ‘Canada Starts Here: The BC Jobs Plan’ tour starring Premier Christy Clark, and we at the Canadian Taxpayers Federation are getting more and more concerned.

We were so hopeful when Finance Minister Kevin Falcon reminded BC taxpayers two weeks ago that it was the private sector that creates jobs—not government. He promised no major increased stimulus spending from government, instead focusing on ways to support job creation in the private sector.

Memo to whoever is steering government at the moment: LISTEN TO FALCON. PLEASE!

The Jobs Plan Tour started Monday in Prince Rupert—a $15 million recommitment toward a $90 million road, rail and utility corridor. BC would be a minority partner in that upgrade, as it includes investments of $30 million from CN and $30 million from the Prince Rupert Port Authority. That’s not the worst announcement in the world—it’s already in the budget, there’s a private partner, and it improves BC’s infrastructure.

Clark then promised speedier approvals for liquefied natural gas operations in the north. Less red tape means less bureaucracy, so that’s fine. Of course, LNG has been talked about by provincial politicians for decades, and we still let the Australians beat us to market.

Day 2 took place in Kamloops, where the wheels started to rattle on the bus. Clark announced she wanted to increase the number of international university students by 50% within four years, claiming this would spark 9,000 new jobs and put another half-a-billion dollars into the BC economy. There was no cost announced—simply a promise of a strategy announcement later this fall. Clark did say she would ramp up marketing overseas—meaning our tax dollars will pay for ads in other countries’ media. Most of us don’t like it when our tax dollars pay for ads in our own media! Clark also slipped in $6 million to “help industries make sure they have all the information they need to be able to tell us who they’re going to need to have educated over the next 10 years in order to meet the demands they will create as they grow our economy.” Why does any industry need tax dollars to do what it should be doing naturally? If an industry is ignoring the future, they won’t be around much longer any way—no matter how much money government pours into them.

That took us to yesterday in Surrey, the place that famously brags, “The Future Lives Here.” Sadly for taxpayers, the future of BC seems to be rife with corporate welfare. Clark told the media:

“The plan is not, overall, about going out there and spending way more of taxpayers dollars.” Instead, the Premier said, her government is trying to focus current spending on bringing “new money” into the B.C. economy.

“I think this idea – and we’ve seen other governments do it around the world – of trying to bring in new money by racking up debt, and recirculating money within your economy doesn’t work,” she said.

Sounds good to us—but her actions don’t match her words. At the same lunch, she announced $96 million over three years to expand venture capital tax credits for small businesses (an increase of $6 million over the current program), and extend the $31 million annual funding for the BC Training Tax Credit program to help employers and apprentices toward skills and training. Take that money and cut taxes or balance the provincial budget. Want to attract business confidence? Be one of the very few jurisdictions anywhere with a balanced provincial budget.

This is the kind of corporate welfare that just doesn’t work. Venture capitalists invest for one reason—they can make money. Have you ever heard the five investors on Dragon’s Den mention tax credits as a reason to invest? Of course not (Perish the thought, Kevin O’Leary!)! All they want to know is that there is a reasonable return for their investment. If a start-up doesn’t have that ability in the private sector’s eyes, why should taxpayers be funding them, taking that risk?

The only good news was that she said Falcon will appoint an expert panel to work through such issues as closing tax loopholes and streamlining the sales tax system without a return to the HST. (We like this one—hopefully the Premier’s office stays out of Falcon’s way.)

Which brings us to today, Thursday, September 22—the big enchilada. Clark will be at the Vancouver Board of Trade, and we have been promised the full plan, including job targets and costs. It should be interesting—and your Canadian Taxpayers Federation will be there to watch it all unfold. If you’re on Twitter, follow me @jordanbateman for live tweet sduring the speech.