• Hints of a spending freeze -- no reduction in the burden of government
• Balancing budget will depend on health care reform
• Renewed commitment to corporate welfare
• Municipal property tax grab to end

VANCOUVER: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) panned today's Throne Speech, as it provided no clear plan to eliminate the deficit.

"Under this government, spending has spiraled far higher than anything seen under the NDP and brought us back into a deficit," said Maureen Bader, B.C. Director of the CTF. "To get rid of the deficit, we need to see a real reduction in spending, not merely a freeze at the current inflated level."

While the Throne Speech committed to a balanced budget by 2013, it will depend on health care reform.

"Health care reform is absolutely imperative, but deficit reduction is a separate issue," said Bader. "Eliminating the deficit and debt are key to ensuring our children and grandchildren are not left with a legacy of debt that itself threatens health care."

The government has reaffirmed its commitment to fight climate change and subsidize clean energy projects.

"Perhaps our premier has been too busy basking in the Olympic limelight to notice the crumbling credibility of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and its claim of global warming Armageddon," said Bader. "The last thing we need right now is a large-scale corporate welfare program promoting expensive green energy schemes."

The CTF welcomed the Throne Speech announcement of a new Joint Committee on Property Tax Reform and looks forward to presenting to that committee.

"The CTF has long called upon the government to rein-in the out-of-control property tax hikes that are hurting families and driving industry from this province," said Bader. "The CTF delivered a petition signed by 2,000 British Columbians calling for a cap on property tax rates -- we hope the committee follows through on that proposal."