April 28, 2005
VANCOUVER – NDP Leader Carole James is in denial if she thinks there is no connection between government policy and economic growth, said Finance Minister Colin Hansen today.
“They are in denial that NDP policies wrecked B.C.’s economy in the 1990s and now they are in denial that B.C. Liberal policies have turned the economy around,” said Hansen.
Hansen, who is the BC Liberal candidate in Vancouver-Quilchena, was reacting to comments made by the NDP Leader on the heels of the release of new Statistics Canada data showing that B.C. is leading Canada in economic growth for the first time in almost 20 years.
“I find it astonishing that Carole James does not understand that government policy on taxes, regulations and investments has a real impact on B.C.’s economy,” said Hansen. “It’s a frightening statement because it shows that the NDP still doesn’t get it – Carole James actually believes you can raise taxes, add mountains of red tape and rip up the Labour Code with no impact on the economy. It’s another reminder that an NDP government would take us backwards.”
Yesterday, Statistics Canada announced that B.C.’s economy grew by 3.9 per cent in 2004 – the leading province in the country. The last time B.C. led the country in economic growth was 1987. It’s also the second consecutive year that B.C.’s economic growth was higher than the national average. Under the NDP, B.C.’s economic growth was below the Canadian average for seven out of its last eight years in government – including dead last in 1998.
The NDP leader responded by saying, “I'm glad for British Columbia that our economy is doing well. But it's nothing to do with Gordon Campbell and the Liberals.”
Finance Minister Hansen pointed out that low interest rates and commodity prices do not explain why the domestic economy performed so impressively in 2004 with strong growth rates for employment, consumer spending, home construction and non-residential investment.
“Carole James may not know this, but interest rates are the same in every province. She can’t explain why housing starts so much higher in B.C. than any other province. She can’t explain why there were periods of high commodity prices during the NDP years, yet B.C. trailed the rest of Canada in economic growth. She can’t explain it because she just doesn’t get it and the NDP remains the biggest threat to B.C.’s economy.”
