North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice makes first comments on Port Tax Cap issue

North Coast MLA Jennifer
Rice used an appearance
on Daybreak North to
share her thoughts on the
current Port Tax Cap themes

The MLA representing the North Coast has offered up her first commentary on the currently hot topic coursing through the conversations of her adopted hometown. 

That of the theme of the Port Tax Cap, a current narrative for Prince Rupert city Council members that found some additional volume through a recent petition program which was first introduced in early September.

Jennifer Rice who had previously offered up no public engagement on the topic over the last five weeks, made her debut towards it it through the Daybreak North program of October  6th. 

Her appearance part of their  segment titled "The Case for scrapping the Port Tax Cap".

Though the North Coast MLA's commentary doesn't quite shed much light on the provincial position towards the issue and for the most part provides her an opportunity to find a position that puts her somewhat in both camps towards the topic.

"I don't fully comprehend why we are reticent. I can suspect that carving out Prince Rupert from the Tax Cap, while leaving the other communities within the tax cap; which is working for them clearly. You now, puts the Port of Prince Rupert in an unfair ... puts them at a dis-advantage and so there would be reticence to do such a thing"

Speaking to a question on the status of the community's current state on infrastructure and economic health, she observed the following:

"I've actually had this happen to me in an elevator once, where um, an investor was like 'Prince Rupert, Prince Rupert is booming' ... and I corrected him and I said look, the Port of Prince Rupert is booming but the community of Prince Rupert is busting. And he was completely perplexed by that statement and that sentiment.  He didn't understand it and I don't expect people to understand it. I think a lot of people have not fully comprehended the infrastructure deficit that Prince Rupert is facing because all eyes are on the port"

The MLA also spoke to the issues of infrastructure and what the challenges are, to which Ms Rice observed the following.

"If we don't actually address our infrastructure issues, if we don't address the housing shortage, you know, if we don't actually have amenities that attract people to stay and work here. I believe not only the Port of Prince Rupert but the marine industries that are their tenants will be in for a serious problem, that will be a problem.  And we know the projected growth the thousands of workers that are supposed to come over here, come to Prince Rupert and operate these terminals for the next decade, I think it is a legitimate concern, I am equally concerned."

Some of that lack of comprehension that she speaks of, could lead some to suggest that the MLA hasn't quite delivered her concerns to the NDP  Finance Minister and other cabinet members to full effect.  

Or if she has, they haven't quite seen the situation in quite the same frame of view as she seems to frame through her commentary for the radio program.

The topic has certainly not been one she has raised publicly in the Legislature Chamber, where her appearances to date have not made mention of any of the situations that she put forward for Thursday morning's CBC broadcast.

It's also not a topic that she has offered any clarity on for residents during the two consecutive terms in office the NDP has been in power for and have had the ability to effect any change on the topic.  

A period of time with no mention of the issue through her social media stream where the MLA delivers the bulk of her community messaging.

The full report from the CBC program is available here, it was the first extensive review of the topic by the Daybreak program since it became an all consuming topic  on the civic stage at the start of September. 

One which has taken up much of the conversation in the current municipal election campaign.

The dominant theme for the eleven minutes of the CBC Daybreak North broadcast was the city's recent public stance on the tax cap concerns, the segment calling on the talking points of Councillor Mirau to carry the background to the issue, as well as to make note of some of the narratives of  the last five weeks of the Scrap the Port Tax petition campaign.

It was also noted that officials from the Port and Port related industries that were contacted, did not offer a reply to the CBC reach out prior to the  deadline for the broadcast.

However, missing from the radio piece was any form of review of how the City has used the financial resources it does have access to, when it comes to addressing some of the infrastructure issues it is concerned about.  

Or, a look at where the City has spent some of their available money towards other initiatives, that may have shifted the focus away from their ongoing infrastructure challenges.

The issue was once again at the top of the list for the Mayor and Council at their Monday Council session, the second to last one to be held for the current council's mandate.

As we noted earlier this week, the council membership voted to approve of a correspondence from the Mayor to be forwarded to Premier Horgan and the Cabinet seeking immediate funding for the city's ongoing critical infrastructure concerns.

We've been following the themes of the #ScrapthePortTax petition organizers and the frequent information relay from the Mayor to the topic through our archive of notes on Civic financial issues which you can review here.

More notes on the work of MLA Rice in Victoria can be explored through our archive page.