EDITORIAL – B.C. Throne Speech was a declaration of independence from U.S.

An editorial by Mel Rothenburger.

IF ANY DOUBT was left that our lives in the foreseeable future will be heavily influenced by the man in orange, it was removed in Tuesday’s (Feb. 18, 2025) Speech from the Throne in the B.C. Legislature.

The Speech, written by the government and delivered by the new Lt.-Gov. Wendy Cocchia, was like no other in memory. It centred squarely on Trump, what he might do, and what B.C. will do to deal with it.

Critics of this government will probably paint the Speech as just another attempt to cash in on a political opportunity but it certainly hit the mark in terms of what Canadians, including British Columbians, are focused on right now.

“We open this first session of British Columbia’s 43rd Parliament at the most consequential time for our province since the Second World War,” the Speech said.

“We’ve come together to support each other and stand up for our country. We are saying with one united voice: We will never be the 51^st state. Not now or ever.”

Trust, the Speech said, has been broken. But we will “weather the storm.”

In the past, we’ve weathered many storms. The Speech talked of the province’s role in the Second World War, building the machinery of war, and enlisting to protect our way of life. Offering a reminder of D-Day, it said of our relationship with the U.S., “Ours is a bond forged in battle.”

But, “We make our own decisions and will control our own future.”

So what will the Pacific province do in order to meet the coming hard times? We will strengthen and grow our economy, diversify trading relationships, speed up permitting and regulatory approvals, train more skilled tradespeople, increase manufacturing opportunities, attract private capital, continue to build housing, and improve access to health care.

Well, a lot of that sounds like stuff we were already supposed to be doing. But diversifying trading relationships will obviously be important and worthy of the utmost attention.

The meat and potatoes of the government’s plan to meet upcoming challenges will be elaborated upon in the Budget. Whether or not the plan is successful remains to be judged, but the Speech from the Throne focused on exactly the over-riding issue of the time, and hit the right note on meeting the challenge.

Mel Rothenburger is a former regular contributor to CFJC-TV and CBC radio, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a recipient of the Jack Webster Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award, and a Webster Foundation Commentator of the Year finalist. He has served as mayor of Kamloops, school board chair and TNRD director, and is a retired daily newspaper editor.  He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.