Children and families were the main focus of the latest throne speech delivered to parliament prior to the opening Olympic ceremonies.

Lieutenant-Governor Steven Point delivered the speech on Feb. 9 on behalf of British Columbia's Liberal government to open the most recent session of parliament.

The government highlighted new partnerships with the private sector that will allow neighbourhood pre schools for three and four-year-old children over the next five years.

For children in government care, there will be increased assistance, broader supports and new safeguards implemented.

Children's education was also a focus.

“New forms of schooling will be developed to provide greater choice and diversity, centered on student's special interests and talents.”

B.C. has the highest percentage in Canada of children living in poverty and a number of the Province's proposed initiatives were aimed at young families.

Homeowners with children under 18 will be offered a temporary exemption on their property taxes to help in these tough economic times.

All-day kindergarten for five-year-olds will be in place at every school in the province by September 2011, according to Point.

The speech also called for a joint provincial federal environmental approval process, which Premier Gordon Campbell says will free up billions of dollars worth of building projects currently caught in bureaucratic red tape.

“We cannot afford to hold investment and jobs hostage. Byzantine bureaucratic practices have no place in the 21st Century,” said Point.

“It's a race to the bottom,” says Fraser-Coquihalla MLA Harry Lali.

“British Columbia's environmental standards were the highest in the world.”

“Now what the liberals are trying to do is harmonize our environmental standards to follow the lower standards of the Canadian government.”

The government will also take a fresh look at B.C.'s regulatory regimes, which includes the BC Utilities Commission, the BC Ferry Commission and the Translink Commission to see where improvements or cost cutting measures can be implemented.

Post-Olympic economic investment was also a key component of the speech.

“This is a golden opportunity to promote global investment in forestry, manufacturing, clean tech, tourism, film, entertainment, digital media and more.”

The new comprehensive sales tax, the HST, was also highlighted with Point citing the effectiveness it will have on leveling the playing fields with businesses across Canada and around the world.

The latest speech out of Victoria, while long on ideas was short on details. With the new budget being delivered after the Olympics on March 2 the government will have to explain how it will pay for all of it's initiatives, while carrying almost $3 billion in debt.