More policy promises from premier on eve of throne speech

Christy Clark appears to have taken a page out of the NDP and Green playbooks with a new promise that will be detailedin Thursday's throne speechin Victoria.

The premieroutlined a$1 billion investment inchild care to create60,000 new affordable spaces over four years, in addition to the 13,000 already pledgedby the B.C. Liberals.

Clark also vowed to providefull family subsidies for households making less than $60,000 a year, and partial subsidies for those earning between $60,000 and $100,000.

• B.C. Liberals to promise major policy changes in upcoming throne speech

The program would include 4,000 new bursaries and grants for early childhood educators as well.

"It's the biggest investment anybody has ever made in one shot in child care in the province," said Clarkat a women's luncheonin Vancouver on Wednesday.

When asked how her party plans to pay for it, Clark said the province is seeing a bigger-than-expected surplus this year.

"What that tells me is that the economy has grown even faster than any of us predicted," she said. "This is nowmoney we can put to work in British Columbia."

Clark also hinted at a poverty-reduction plan and improved mental health services, andvowed her party would formally run onthese new promises if another election is triggered.

Theywere not part of her party's May 9 election platform but when asked whether she regretted not running on those points, Clark answered, "I'm looking forward, not backward."

Familiar policies

Clark's new promises follow others pledges she madethis weekto increase welfare payments and ban corporate and union political donations.

Sheemphasized the Liberal plan is a directanswerto what British Columbianshave been asking for.

"It includes the best ideas from all parties," Clark said."So I'm hopeful that, in the interest of stability, we can find a way for everybody to vote for it."

But the promises aren't enough to swaythe leaders of the NDP or Greens.

"Looks like we are going to have an NDP throne speech," said NDP Leader John Horgan,before meeting with his caucus in Victoria.

"The best policies have been put forward by the NDP time and time again for a decade and have been rejected by the Liberals."

Green Party Leader Andrew Weaver also responded, saying that while he appreciates the Liberals borrowing Green policies, the partystill won't support Clark's throne speech.

"You can say whatever you want in a throne speech, they can say they will promise unicorns they have done that already with LNG," said Weaver.In the 2013 provincial campaign,Clark's Liberalspromised that liquefied natural gaswould producethousands of jobs in B.C., a promise that has so far failed to materialize.

The throne speech will be read by Lieutenant Governor Judith Guichonon Thursday at 2 p.m. PT.

With files from Richard Zussman