The B.C. Liberal government takes second place for historic shortfalls, Cowichan’s MLAs say.

“This is the second-largest deficit in the history of the province,” Nanaimo-North Cowichan MLA Doug Routley said after the updated 2009 budget was tabled Tuesday.

“And without the HST (transition funding from the federal government), it would have been the largest.”

The updated budget forecasts a $2.8-billion deficit this year, thanks to a significant decline in provincial revenue.

The document also predicts deficits of $1.7-billion in 2010/2011 and $945-million in 2011/2012.

“The three largest budgets in B.C. were all produced by right-wing governments,” said Cowichan Valley MLA Bill Routley. “This is the silver medal for the Liberal government, with the gold and the silver going to the Liberals and the Social Credits.”

Doug Routley, meanwhile, called the updated financial plan a “tax-and-cut” budget.

“It’s a disaster — it’s a budget made of lies,” he fumed. “This government has offered nothing. They have no new ideas. They’re out of gas and if they had told the truth during the election they’d be out of office.”

The Nanaimo-North Cowichan MLA was particularly displeased with cuts to environmental initiatives.

“The only thing green about this budget is the recycling of broken promises.”

Bill Routley is similarly angry.

“This continues on with the government claiming they were brutally deceived, when really it was the people of British Columbia who were brutally deceived,” he said. “No one believes this government was not aware of the economic realities in the world, and now the $495-million debt has turned into $3.6-billion, reduced to $2.8-billion through the HST (Harmonized Sales Tax) transition money from the federal government.”

Both MLAs were also concerned about the $52-million budgeted toward fighting forest fires.

“This was a teachable moment this year, but they didn’t seem to learn from this year’s forest fire season,” said Bill Routley, pointing out $409-million was spent on fighting blazes province-wide this summer.

“They’re continuing their deception, their attempt to deceive the people of B.C.”

For updated coverage on this story, read Friday’s News Leader Pictorial and look for updates on www.cowichannewsleader.com.

Other budget highlights

- Medical Services Plan premiums will increase six per cent in each of the next three years, which will match the project increases in health care spending.

- Full-day kindergarten starts next fall, with space for up to half of kindergarten-age children during the first year and all five-year-olds by fall 2011.

- The blow of the Harmonized Sales Tax is softened with a personal income tax cut and a full rebate of HST costs on residential heating.

— Tom Fletcher