UBC Press Big Promises, Small Government book Paperback 278 pages

The BC Liberal Party, under Gordon Campbell, won a massive majority in 2001 on the strength of its New Era electoral platform. On his first day in office, Campbell fulfilled the party’s campaign pledge to dramatically reduce personal income taxes in British Columbia. Big Promises, Small Government demonstrates the integral relationship between effective tax policy and sustainable social programs. In this important and original case study, George Abbott provides a rigorous analysis of an intense and often controversial period in the province’s political history. Despite sharply declining economic indices, the new premier expected that lower taxes would spur investment and growth, essentially paying for themselves. Instead, the Campbell government’s precipitous and ideological decision to cut taxes and exempt health and education – some 70 percent of the provincial budget – from any decrease in expenditures left smaller ministries scrambling to save $4.4 billion to meet a balanced budget. Severe budget cuts extended throughout social ministries with direct impact on their often vulnerable clients. Big Promises, Small Government demonstrates the inherent difficulties that tax cuts present to small, open trading economies such as British Columbia’s, which could not hope to reshape its local fortunes quickly amid broader global shifts. George Abbott’s insider perspective and compelling insights on the genesis, implementation, and real-world consequences of a tax policy offer vital lessons to future governments and gripping reading on the effects of short-sighted tax cuts on a province.

George M. Abbott is a public policy consultant and president of Circle Square Solutions Ltd. in Victoria, British Columbia. He enjoyed thirty-five years in elected public office, including seventeen years as MLA for Shuswap and twelve years as a cabinet minister. Among his portfolios were Health; Education; Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation; Sustainable Resource Management; and Community, Aboriginal, and Women’s Services. Prior to his election to the legislature in 1996, George served in local government as director and chair of the Columbia Shuswap Regional District as a councillor at the District of Sicamous. He currently serves as director and chair of Technical Safety BC.