After years of lobbying for a core review of B.C. government operations, I must confess to feeling underwhelmed by yesterday’s announcement of the review’s terms of reference. Bill Bennett, the minister responsible, put a target of $50 million in savings on the table.

Peanuts. Do the math: $50 million is 0.11 per cent of the government’s annual $43 billion spend. This is the same as a family earning $75,000 in income and being asked to cut $82.50 in spending. Talk about a low bar.

We can save $18 million just by killing the Pacific Carbon Trust – I’m already more than a third of the way to the province’s $50 million goal.

Still, the NDP and unions are setting their hair on fire, proclaiming the possibility of massive cuts, soul sucking destruction, zombie apocalypses and other nonsense.

I think former NDP finance minister Paul Ramsey had it right when he explained to Voice In B.C. recently that government waste are like dust bunnies under the bed. They need to be swept out regularly and as soon as you do, they begin to accumulate again. “Unlike many, I don’t think this is a pointless exercise,” Ramsey said. “Waste and inefficiency in government are like dust bunnies under your bed. You get them away one week and there’s a new batch that seems to miraculously appear by the next week.”

Sweep harder, Minister Bennett.