BC’s Finance Minister says the provincial government has been in regular contact with the federal government about the sick pay program.
“This is a national issue, and a national program is the right way to deliver this program. As part of those conversations, the federal government was interested in that program,” Selina Robinson said.
“They delivered their budget the day before we delivered ours, fully expecting that there would be an element of sick pay in their budget.”
Robinson says, like the BC Liberals, she too is disappointed that the federal government did not act on the issue.
“We’ve certainly expressed disappointment with the federal government. As a result of that, we are working together as a cabinet and as a government, to address what I think, frankly, has been a missed opportunity for Canadians by the federal government,” she added.
Robinson was responding to concerns raised by BC Liberal job critic, Todd Stone.
Speaking in the Legislature, the Kamloops-South Thompson MLA wanted to know why the Premier has broken his promise to bring in a provincially-funded paid sick pay program in the province.
Stone says back in December, John Horgan noted that the province was “prepared to go it alone and fill in the gaps when it comes to a sick pay program” to help workers impacted by COVID-19.
“One year later, nobody has seen any plan from the Premier to fund sick pay. It wasn’t in the budget,” he said. “My question to the Premier is this, ‘What was the plan that the Premier had prepared to go a year ago, and why did he break his promise to deliver sick pay during the pandemic?'”
“The Premier said that he had a plan to go. He said he had a plan B. He had an alternative plan that was ready to go if the federal government didn’t step up and implement a national program. It’s been a year since the Premier made that commitment.”
Stone wants the NDP to deliver on its promise immediately and bring in a sick pay program.
“Here’s what his Labour Minister [Ravi Kahlon] had to say, and I quote “As the Premier has said, if the feds fail to work with us, I think we as British Columbia will find our own ways. The Premier made it very clear. We don’t feel that the businesses should be burdened with the extra cost.”
“It’s one year later, and there’s no plan from the Premier to fund sick pay. He couldn’t even be bothered to put it in his budget.”
While there is no timeline on when B.C. could bring in paid sick leave, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry was asked about it during Monday’s COVID-19 update. That is as dozens of workplaces in Vancouver Coastal Health and Fraser Health have been ordered to close because of COVID-19 transmission between workers.
“It is an important part of the workplace program to make sure that workers are able to stay home when they’re sick and that’s an ongoing discussion that I know government is having with industry,” she said.
Speaking on the NL Noon Report after the BC Budget was released, BC Federation of Labour President Laird Cronk noted they will continue the fight for paid sick leave during the pandemic given it was conspicuously absent from this weeks provincial budget.
“That is the common sense way to stop the spread of COVID-19 until we can get enough vaccines in the arms of folks to end this deadly virus,” he said.
