As the opposition accuses the British Columbia government of overreaching with a new bill to allow itself to respond nimbly to changing threats from the United States, it’s worth taking stock of what exactly is at risk.
On Thursday Attorney General Niki Sharma introduced the Economic Stabilization (Tariff Response) Act that she characterized as “enabling legislation.”
If passed the bill allows cabinet to make regulations for “addressing challenges, or anticipated challenges, to British Columbia arising from the actions of a foreign jurisdiction,” reducing interprovincial trade barriers and supporting the economy of B.C. and Canada.
It provides power to increase access to B.C. for goods and services from other Canadian provinces and territories, favour non-American companies in government procurement and introduce tolls or fees on B.C. highways or ferries.