BC Liberal leader Kevin Falcon has been relentlessly criticizing the province’s decision to spend nearly $800 million replacing the Royal BC Museum, calling it a “vanity project.”.The leader of the official opposition began his onslaught shortly after being sworn in as the MLA for Vancouver-Quilchena Monday..Resuming his bombardment at the legislature Tuesday, Falcon said the museum project reflects a “staggering level of incompetence” on behalf of the current NDP government..The massive $789 million project will result in a seismically-safe facility intended to, as the province puts it, reflect the experiences and perspectives of all who contributed to BC’s history..The current museum will close in September, with the new facility scheduled to open in 2030 at the same location in downtown Victoria..“Last Friday the premier stumbled forward with a billion dollar vanity museum project that nobody asked for, with no business plan, and no credible explanation as to why they are doing this,” said Falcon..The Liberal leader highlighted the province’s dire shortage of family physicians, a fatal drug overdose crisis, and an increase of violent crime in Vancouver..“And yet this premier thinks that now is the time to blow a billion dollars on a poorly thought out vanity museum boondoggle?” he said..“Will this premier, having heard the overwhelmingly negative reaction to this boondoggle, do the right thing and scrap this project?”.BC’s minister of tourism, Melanie Mark, says the the project is necessary due to the current location being “seismically unsafe,” criticizing Falcon for neglecting the concern..Hosting more more than 880,000 visitors each year, the facility, which opened in 1967, has not been substantially renovated in more than 50 years..“If there was a flood we would be wiping out our collective history,” said Mark..“The members opposite made a calculated decision not to protect the people’s museum; we are investing in the people’s museum to protect our shared history, our collective history, and to support the tourism sector.”.The “calculated decision” remark is a reference to 2010, when Mark claims the Liberals were briefed regarding the state of the museum but chose not to act..Falcon fired back at Mark, saying that if the NDP was concerned about floods it would also be “concerned about the 60,000 people a day that go underneath the Massey Tunnel,” further referring to the museum project as “the dumbest capital decision” he has seen since the province cancelled a bridge plan to replace the George Massey Tunnel..“My question to the premier is straightforward,” said Falcon..“If the premier thinks that this vanity museum project can withstand the scrutiny, will they table a full unredacted business plan today?”.Mark said the current government is “working on it” and will hand it over “as soon as possible.”.Falcon told the assembly he was at a loss for words..“You’re supposed to have the work done before you announce a billion dollar boondoggle,” he said..The museum is in possession of at least seven million artifacts and 27 kilometres of archival records.
BC Liberal leader Kevin Falcon has been relentlessly criticizing the province’s decision to spend nearly $800 million replacing the Royal BC Museum, calling it a “vanity project.”.The leader of the official opposition began his onslaught shortly after being sworn in as the MLA for Vancouver-Quilchena Monday..Resuming his bombardment at the legislature Tuesday, Falcon said the museum project reflects a “staggering level of incompetence” on behalf of the current NDP government..The massive $789 million project will result in a seismically-safe facility intended to, as the province puts it, reflect the experiences and perspectives of all who contributed to BC’s history..The current museum will close in September, with the new facility scheduled to open in 2030 at the same location in downtown Victoria..“Last Friday the premier stumbled forward with a billion dollar vanity museum project that nobody asked for, with no business plan, and no credible explanation as to why they are doing this,” said Falcon..The Liberal leader highlighted the province’s dire shortage of family physicians, a fatal drug overdose crisis, and an increase of violent crime in Vancouver..“And yet this premier thinks that now is the time to blow a billion dollars on a poorly thought out vanity museum boondoggle?” he said..“Will this premier, having heard the overwhelmingly negative reaction to this boondoggle, do the right thing and scrap this project?”.BC’s minister of tourism, Melanie Mark, says the the project is necessary due to the current location being “seismically unsafe,” criticizing Falcon for neglecting the concern..Hosting more more than 880,000 visitors each year, the facility, which opened in 1967, has not been substantially renovated in more than 50 years..“If there was a flood we would be wiping out our collective history,” said Mark..“The members opposite made a calculated decision not to protect the people’s museum; we are investing in the people’s museum to protect our shared history, our collective history, and to support the tourism sector.”.The “calculated decision” remark is a reference to 2010, when Mark claims the Liberals were briefed regarding the state of the museum but chose not to act..Falcon fired back at Mark, saying that if the NDP was concerned about floods it would also be “concerned about the 60,000 people a day that go underneath the Massey Tunnel,” further referring to the museum project as “the dumbest capital decision” he has seen since the province cancelled a bridge plan to replace the George Massey Tunnel..“My question to the premier is straightforward,” said Falcon..“If the premier thinks that this vanity museum project can withstand the scrutiny, will they table a full unredacted business plan today?”.Mark said the current government is “working on it” and will hand it over “as soon as possible.”.Falcon told the assembly he was at a loss for words..“You’re supposed to have the work done before you announce a billion dollar boondoggle,” he said..The museum is in possession of at least seven million artifacts and 27 kilometres of archival records.
