JEDI Mind Tricks

Budget Estimates consisted of hard questions and soft answers.

When it comes to holding government accountable, asking the tough questions is half the battle. During Budget Estimates for the Ministry of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation (JEDI), that was my goal.

I pressed JEDI Minister Diana Gibson hard on how her ministry’s ambitious promises match up with reality on the ground. Small businesses are the backbone of BC’s economy, yet they often find themselves tangled in red tape, overlooked in funding allocations, and dealing with contradictory signals. I asked for specifics: how exactly is the ministry actually streamlining bureaucracy across government, and where's the proof these efforts are working?

Tech and innovation can transform our province—but only if we get it right. I asked pointed questions about why investments in research infrastructure seem uneven and how the government plans to keep pace with global leaders in tech, especially when they’re sending mixed signals to would-be investors and actively defunding supports for rural and resource innovation. Vague assurances aren’t enough.

Regional fairness isn't optional. Urban areas often thrive while rural communities lag behind, struggling to access vital economic support. I challenged the minister to justify the current strategies and pressed for concrete evidence of real improvements in rural economic conditions.

I specifically zeroed in on the ministry’s targets for private sector job creation, questioning the minister on how exactly they planned to measure and achieve these goals. BC’s standard of living depends on strong private sector employment growth, and vague job creation promises won't cut it. I demanded transparency on whether clear benchmarks were being set and tracked. Bottom line: they aren’t. The Minister could not quantify a target for private sector job growth or even a ratio of private sector versus public sector jobs.

The answers? Long on optimism, short on details. BC deserves better than broad promises, and we’ll keep asking the hard questions.