John Horgan wanted to be Santa with B.C.’s pandemic relief benefit. Now, he looks more like Scrooge

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Back in early October, B.C. Premier John Horgan was all smiles when he unveiled his party’s election platform. And why not? The centerpiece of the New Democratic Party’s manifesto was a one-time recovery benefit for those whose incomes were savaged by the COVID-19 pandemic. Families would be able to qualify for $1,000 under the program, and individuals could get $500. And knowing how tough Christmas was going to be for families who had lost their means of financial support in the preceding months, Mr. Horgan promised that cheques would be delivered in time for the holidays.

It wasn’t long after the NDP had secured a massive majority win, however, that we learned that the money promised on the campaign trail might not, in fact, be available to all in time for the holidays, with many not receiving the benefit until we’re into the New Year. And then this week, British Columbians received the most precise details yet on how the program will work.

Talk about a Yuletide surprise.

B.C. Finance Minister Selina Robinson announced that the payments will not, in fact, offer the “hand up” to those whose livelihoods were taken from them this year by the pandemic. Instead, eligibility for the one-time payment will be measured against what people in the province earned in 2019, when many of those in a world of hurt now were gainfully employed.

Which isn’t at all the pitch Mr. Horgan made on the campaign trail – the one that resonated with so many people who had been eyeing the holidays with trepidation.

So now people who were lucky enough to hang on to their jobs during the pandemic are going to be able to take advantage of the benefit based on their 2019 income. People who lost their jobs this year will, in many cases, have the amount they might have qualified for reduced because the benefit is based on what they earned the previous year. That’s because under the terms of the plan, British Columbia families can receive $1,000 if total household income doesn’t exceed $125,000, and beyond that amount, the benefit will be distributed on a sliding scale based on the total amount of income; for individuals, the starting income number is $62,500 before any clawback begins.

The Finance Minister defended the decision by saying this was the only fair way to do it. Otherwise, the government would have to wait for people’s 2020 income tax returns before dispensing the money. But why not allow people to apply for the money, give them the full amount, and then claw back later if necessary based on their 2020 returns?

The government might be out a little more money now but would get it back, in most cases, a little ways down the road.

Ms. Robinson insisted this week that between 80 and 90 per cent of British Columbians are eligible for the grant. Of course, what she couldn’t say is how many of them will be getting less than they were promised.

When he first unveiled his economic recovery package in October, Mr. Horgan was asked whether it was something his government had been “saving,” knowing there was an election coming and that it might make a nice platform centerpiece. He insisted at the time that was not the case and that it wasn’t contemplated and designed until the campaign got underway.

That may or may not be the case. But even if I was inclined to take Mr. Horgan at his word, I’m not going to ever believe that they made the announcement not knowing how it would work. There had to have been discussions about eligibility and how that would be determined. Which makes the decision to announce a change in the qualifying terms after the election incredibly heartless – not to mention a little deceitful.

I realize that some people who lost their jobs this year will likely still get something from the government. But in many cases, it won’t be the full amount. Maybe in some cases the difference is just a few hundred bucks, and some people will ask what the big deal is – it’s still free money.

Well, for many people a few hundred bucks is a big deal, especially if you’re out of work and now you’re sharpening your pencil every day to figure out whether you can afford life’s basic necessities – items that were once taken for granted. This week, those people got jobbed by a government that sold them a bill of goods – and seemingly in the name of cheap votes.

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