BC Liberals: John Horgan’s museum vanity project shows he’s out of touch

THE BC Liberals said on Tuesday that it’s time for Premier John Horgan to prioritize the needs of British Columbians over his recently-announced billion-dollar Royal BC Museum “vanity project.” Official Opposition Leader Kevin Falcon made it clear that under a BC Liberal government, he would scrap the project.

“The timing of this announcement is unbelievable. Life has never been more expensive than it is today under this two-term NDP government — but instead of providing people with relief from skyrocketing grocery costs and gas prices hitting $2.34 a litre, the Premier has launched a pricey vanity project in his own backyard,” said Falcon.

“He needs to scrap this plan and recognize that it’s not about the building, it’s about the history inside it. The NDP could renovate the museum to be seismically safe at a much lower cost, while still ensuring adequate resources for conservation and Indigenous repatriation efforts to ensure the museum reflects the full history of British Columbia.”

Opposition House Leader Todd Stone added that the Premier’s announcement shows just how out of touch he is with the struggles faced by British Columbians.

“One in five British Columbians don’t have a family doctor; walk-in clinic wait times are the worst in the country; crime, homelessness and overdose deaths are at record levels; and people can no longer afford to drive to work or to medical appointments. They need help now,” said Stone.

“A modest upgrade to the museum is one thing, but spending one billion dollars in the middle of simultaneous affordability, public health and public safety crises is another. The Premier needs to open his eyes to the realities British Columbians are facing and change course. Or, if he’s still convinced it’s such a great idea, he should release the full and unredacted business case and cost benefit analysis immediately.”