BC GOVERNMENT CAUCUS REPORT

JULY 19, 2002

CONSTITUENCY REPORT TELEVISION

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

· Sunday, July 28th - one-hour special on Shaw TV with Premier Gordon

Campbell: "A Year in Review" (8am & 5pm)

Lower Mainland Shaw Cable 4

· Ralph Sultan, MLA West Vancouver-Capilano, Saturday July 20 8am & 5pm · John van Dongen, MLA Abbotsford-Clayburn, Saturday July 20 8:30am & 5:30pm

Cariboo - Shaw Cable 10

·Walt Cobb, MLA Cariboo South,

Saturday July 20 7pm

Sunday July 21 7pm

Wednesday July 24 7:30pm

VOICE OF BC

· Geoff Plant, Attorney General, Wednesday July 24 at 8pm (check your local station for re-broadcast dates or log on to

TRANSPORATION 'P3' DISCUSSION PAPER

· The Ministry of Transportation released a discussion paper last week to look at all options to improve our highway infrastructure and get feedback from the public on private-public partnerships (P3s) before the Transportation Investment Act is debated this fall. · There is a high demand for transportation infrastructure improvements in British Columbia. The government has to find ways to fund up to $10 billion in new construction over the next decade. · The government is committed to exploring public-private partnership opportunities as a way of funding infrastructure construction sooner and at a lower cost to taxpayers.

THREE MORE CIRCUIT COURTS IN B.C.

· The government reached agreements with Creston, Chetwynd and Chase to establish circuit courts that will ensure local access to court services while reducing the costs associated with maintaining courthouses that are not fully used. This will allow more resources to go to other vital services.

· The circuit courts will begin hearing criminal and civil cases on August 1st.

· The agreements bring the total number of circuit courts in B.C. to five.

GETTING BEST VALUE FOR YOUR TAX DOLLARS

· The BC Ferry Corporation put conversion work for the Queen of Coquitlam to international tender this week.

· Open Tendering is a key New Era Commitment that will ensure the best value for British Columbians' tax dollars.

· The refit of the Queen of Coquitlam is a huge expenditure. We must avoid the same cost overruns and delays that typified the Fast Ferries. The more affordable the ferries, the less cost it will be to taxpayers and ferry users.

Transportation Minister Judith Reid: "I certainly have confidence in B.C.'s [shipbuilding] industry. We have an excellent industry here...but we believe that we mustn't forget the lessons learned from the fast ferries. "...open tendering is good for B.C. companies, we believe in B.C. companies and their ability to partake."

TRANSPORTATION MINISTERS MEET IN VANCOUVER

· Western transportation ministers signed a letter of intent to co-ordinate efforts in tackling regulatory, policy and planning issues this week. · Western provinces face common challenges, including an aging transportation infrastructure, increasing traffic congestion, large distances between population centres and difficult topography.

· With a combined population of nine million - the ministers believe 30% of Canada's population - a strength-in-numbers approach to addressing common issues will work.

· The ministers will work to address increasing activity between their economies and take advantage of market growth opportunities abroad.

DID YOU KNOW?

· B.C.'s highway system has almost 42,000 km of roads and 2,750 bridges, tunnels and snowsheds. · The government put an extra $10 million towards northern & rural roads, $20 million for the oil & gas initiative for resource roads, and $52 million for the Nisga'a Highway. · Of the $750 million collected in federal gas taxes last fiscal year, only $2.8 million was provided for transportation improvements.

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