Premier First Term 2001 - 2005

When he took office in 2001, Mr. Campbell inherited a $3.9-billion structural deficit from the NDP and a provincial economy that was among the worst in the country. People were leaving the province in droves, in search of opportunity elsewhere. Mr. Campbell and the BC Liberals vowed to fix the economy and bring in a new era of hope and prosperity.

Bold, 25% tax cuts on the first day in office sent the clear signal that B.C. was open for business. These tax cuts gave B.C. some of the lowest personal income tax rates in the country. Investment was encouraged by eliminating the tax on corporate capital. Taxes on productivity enhancements were scrapped. These actions, combined with a government-wide commitment to fiscal discipline, allowed Mr. Campbell and his government to eliminate the deficit and introduce the province’s first balanced budget under generally accepted accounting principles. 

Despite declining enrolment throughout Mr. Campbell’s first term, funding for education was increased every single year to the highest levels ever. Mr. Campbell put students first, making education an essential service so that students would no longer be used as pawns in labour disputes. Parents were also given the right to choose which school they wanted their child to attend, and the right of parents to volunteer in schools was enshrined in law.

Health care funding was increased by $3 billion in Mr. Campbell’s first term.  New MSP and Pharmacare programs were introduced that reduced or eliminated drug and medical insurance costs for nearly 300,000 low income British Columbians. Wait times for diagnostic tests, cancer services, and visits to specialists were reduced to the shortest in the country.  According to the Conference Board of Canada, by 2004, B.C. had the best health care system in Canada.

By 2005, Campbell’s polices had taken B.C.’s economy from worst to first in the country. B.C. was leading the nation in job creation, small business confidence, investment growth, and housing starts. By the end of Campbell’s first term, B.C. had the lowest unemployment rate in 24 years, having created 200,000 new jobs.  In the May 17, 2005 election, Campbell and the BC Liberals won a second majority government. Campbell became the first B.C. Premier to be re-elected in more than 20 years.