From the Tyee.ca - Election information for YOU

From "Campbell Era Economy Nothing to Brag About. Deep cuts: B.C. leads Canada in job losses. NDP saw higher growth. Now BC jobs are crashing." Bill Tieleman, TheTyee.ca, April 14, 2009 (excerpts)

Growth was higher under NDP

Start from 2001, when the B.C. Liberals took power, and use private-sector estimates through 2009 -- even though they are rosy and likely to be far worse -- ....

During the B.C. Liberal government reign, the average annual rate of economic growth was 2.6 per cent.

But what was the average annual growth when the New Democratic Party was in power from 1991 to 2001 -- .....

Try annual growth of 2.8 per cent -- a better record than the B.C. Liberals.

NDP saw more job growth, too ....

During the NDP's decade, employment grew by 22 per cent, or 344,100 jobs. Between 2001 and 2008, the B.C. Liberals have seen 20 per cent growth, or 392,700 jobs, for a lower percentage increase.

But wait! From January through March, B.C. has lost a staggering 63,000 jobs -- 35,000 in January, 5,000 in February and 23,000 in March, the month that led all of Canada.

Overall, Statistics Canada says B.C. lost 69,000 jobs since October 2008, a three per cent drop.

That means B.C. Liberal job growth is actually only 323,700 jobs from 2001 to April 2009 -- far less than the NDP.

.......

Is that modest deficit for real? ($495 million)

Helmut Pastrick -- the respected chief economist of Central 1 Credit Union (formerly B.C. Central Credit Union) has said the B.C. Liberal government's numbers were way off -- he thought the deficit this year should be $1 billion to $1.5 billion.

"A deficit of $1 to $1.5 billion or 0.6 per cent of GDP in 2009-10 is the more likely outcome due to revenue shortfalls," said Central 1 Credit Union's report on the budget. "Revenue in 2009-10 is not likely to be realized, particularly in the personal income, social service and property transfer lines."

And writing in The Tyee, Will McMartin called it a "toxic fudge budget" because the numbers were so cooked and sweet.
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And...

Anger the Polls Don't Yet Catch. Governator and premier: Why heat California's pools? Three issues gaining traction as the campaigns unfold., Rafe Mair. TheTyee.ca April 20, 2009 (excerpts)

This election's three biggies

1. The perception, indeed reality, of arrogance in the person of Gordon Campbell. On environmental matters, which I'll come to, he has been callous and insulting. The sleaze factor, now coming more and more in focus as part of the hubris of the Campbell government and its leader, increases by the day. The Basi-Virk case and the government stonewalling and the revelations of double dipping by Ken Dobell and, especially, Patrick Kinsella, show a distinct "up yours" attitude.

2. The economy is a huge issue. .... What seems to me interesting is that the Liberals, during the NDP tenure, would not cut them any slack because of the Asian meltdown. "No excuses!" was Campbell's cry. …

But Campbell's Liberals don't accept the same standards. It's of course silly to blame a provincial government for world wide economic problems but could we not ask the Liberals: "The signs were all there; a huge U.S. deficit, ditto the budget deficit, the huge national debt, and unbelievable scandals in large corporations. Why couldn't the Liberal government with all its high priced help in the Finance Ministry do what then finance minister Hugh Curtis did in 1979, namely, foresee a crisis and take steps to minimize the consequences? Or was Campbell warned but didn't take notice?

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3. The environment wears several hats. The gas tax axing by the NDP is seen by many city dwellers as bad policy ..... In rural B.C., the gas tax is very unpopular.

What is very interesting are the issues of fish farms and private rivers. Nowhere has Premier Campbell been more callous unto autocratic than on these two issues.

Since 2001, Campbell has not only arrogantly refused to accept the clear scientific opinion that sea lice from fish farms are killing off Pink and Chum migrating smolts, in fact, as soon as another scientific opinion came in, more licenses would be issued or capacity increased. ....

The hitherto "elephant in the house" issue, the desecration of rivers by private companies ...., has now been exposed. ...... People are seeing the sweetheart deals with corporate pals, the environmental degradation, the lack of consultation and the ruination of BC Hydro. Every day that passes, this issue rings out stronger especially since the government has not told the truth.

….. more and more voters realize that none of this private electricity is staying in B.C. That's because it can't. Let me explain.

Private producers can only produce electricity, for the most part, during the spring run-off when the water is high enough to make the generators work. That is the very time that BC Hydro has full reservoirs. Electricity cannot be stored so private power has nowhere to go but out of the province where it will be subject to NAFTA, which means that Americans with a right to use our water can use it for any purpose they choose and their leases will not be bound by statute or private lease terms. NAFTA, being an international treaty, trumps Canadian laws.
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