An open letter to Premier Christy Clark and Finance Minister Michael de Jong.
I was not pleased when our new provincial holiday, Family Day, was first announced but kind of put it out of my mind.
However, with Feb. 11 now approaching, I must ask a tough question.
What is the cost?
In these tough economic times – and as this huge expense will hit my pocket personally – I felt I had to write. I don’t believe at the time of the announcement there was any costing done.
Now somebody must pay the piper.
Are you prepared to provide the information required to properly evaluate what this holiday will cost the provincial economy and non-government-employed taxpayers?
I believe the following expenses must be included:
• The direct cost to the taxpayer for the salaries of all the provincial, municipal, hospital and school district workers that will be paid for not producing anything of value.
• The cost of premium wages for those same workers who must work; police, fire, ambulance, hospital, etc.
• The secondary cost to private employers who will have to pay employees for not coming to work.
• The secondary cost to private employers who will have to pay employees a premium wage for those that require staff to work this day.
Minister de Jong, good luck in balancing your budget with the additional expense of tens of millions of dollars thrown out the window at the public service.
B. Kip Leith, Surrey