No more moving forward; now we’re bending the curve

I spent a couple of joyless hours reading the budget speech today and trying to figure out what it all means.  On the one hand, but on the other hand. We shall continue to invest in health and education, protect our seniors, etc. etc.

Excellent outlook, B.C. one of the best places to be.

And we must bend the curve.

“Bend the curve?” What the hell is that? Is it like jumping the shark?

Some speech writer must have experienced a fine moment when that one came to mind. A new way of saying, “there shall be cuts.” Into the briefing notes it went.

So Finance Minister Kevin Falcon said, “We are bending the cost curve down” on health costs. Environment Minister Terry Lake said, “There’s a general recognition we need to bend the curve down.” Donna Lommer, the chief financial officer for Interior Health Authority, talked of “direction to bend the cost curve to three per cent.”

Good Lord. Check the press releases and websites of the Liberal MLAs in the next couple of days. I’ll bet “bending the curve” starts showing up everywhere.

The word is out. We are no longer moving forward. We’re bending the curve.