Take it from those in our provincial capital, it's a heck of a lot safer to be at arm's length when it starts hitting the fan.
Much of the public spending in this province - health, education, etc. - is controlled by the Liberal government, but is ultimately carried out by other jurisdictions. Victoria provides an allotment and these other entities - health regions, school boards - determine how that money is spent and how services are delivered.
That means when things go south, and they have a habit of doing so, the government is often a safe distance away.
Surrey MLA Sue Hammell, the NDP's deputy health critic, told the Friends of Delta Hospital public forum last month that Fraser Health receives the lowest per capita funding in B.C. even though it's the fastest growing region in the province. This obviously puts pressures on FHA decision makers and leads to some untenable situations, yet when the community complains about the lack of surgical services at Delta Hospital, that anger is directed at Fraser Health.
Provincial Health Minister Terry Lake is ultimately responsible, but he's insulated enough that he's not in the line of fire, or at least he's not the primary target.
A similar situation could well unfold here this spring as the Delta school board has been given a directive by Victoria to cut administrative costs. After a decade of cutbacks, the Delta district already runs a pretty lean operation when it comes to administration, so you've got to question where these savings will come from and how they will impact the system.
What you won't have to wonder about is who will take the flak. Local trustees will be in the crosshairs while Education Minister Peter Fassbender watches from afar.
The governing Liberals would like us to believe that adequate funding is always provided and it's a case of the bureaucracy not sufficiently stretching our tax dollars. I don't doubt there are efficiencies to be had in any organization, but if Victoria can truly do more with less, then it should have its fingerprints on absolutely everything, and not delegate that authority.
I suspect it doesn't want to do that because it realizes that's simply not the case. Victoria must recognize that when it signs a contract, but then doesn't fully fund the provisions within that agreement, something is going to have to give at the other end.
But if you run away from the situation fast enough, you're able to make it someone else's problem.
