NDP Leader Carole James hit new depths of dishonesty in today’s CKNW radio debate, claiming the NDP campaign was not engaging in negative attacks and misleading British Columbians by claiming it was the NDP who made transit part of the new Port Mann Bridge.
April 23, 2009
NDP Leader Carole James hit new depths of dishonesty in today’s CKNW radio debate, claiming the NDP campaign was not engaging in negative attacks and misleading British Columbians by claiming it was the NDP who made transit part of the new Port Mann Bridge.
Dishonesty on the Port Mann Bridge:- Carole James said she supported the new Port Mann Bridge – Not true. She has repeatedly spoken publically against the bridge and voted to cancel the project in the Legislature.
- Carole James said the NDP forced the government to put transit on the bridge. That’s not true. The BC Liberals announced transit and cycling on the new Port Mann on January 31, 2006 – almost two years before James called it the “wrong bridge and the wrong plan.” (Sept. 27, 2007)
- Even after RapidBus was introduced as part of the project following consultation with 10,000 citizens, Carole James and the NDP voted against the Port Mann Twinning Act, on April 28, 2008, publically demonstrating their opposition to this project on record.
- James says a private company will control toll costs on the Port Mann Bridge. That’s not true. The toll cannot increase without government approval.
Dishonesty on the NDP’s Negative Campaign:- Most unbelievably, when asked to account for her negative campaign ads, James denied the NDP was going negative on the campaign.
- James was part of the launch of the COPE “Gordon Campbell Hates You” ad campaign – the most negative political campaign in B.C. in recent memory.
- The NDP’s television ad campaign is purely negative, making personal allegations against companies and individuals.
- The NDP Platform repeatedly attacks Premier Gordon Campbell, mentioning him by name 129 times. In contrast it only mentions the economy 18 times.
More NDP Dishonesty During the Radio Debate:
- James said 250,000 British Columbians are making minimum wage. That’s not true. According to Statistics Canada there are 50,000 people earning minimum wage. In fact, the percentage of minimum wage earners has dropped by over 60 per cent since 2001.
- James said the government didn’t build 5,000 seniors beds. That’s not true. The BC Liberal government has built 5,896 net-new beds.
- James claims her plan is fiscally responsible yet it increases spending by over $3.5 billion and places $1 billion in new taxes on job-creating industries.
- James claims she will consult with industry before putting new taxes on them. That’s not true. Her platform already says that their tax on the oil and gas industry will be $412 million. She has not done any consultation.
- James claims she supports a cap and trade system yet just one year ago the NDP voted against cap and trade in the Legislature.
Reckless NDP Economic Policies:
- James promoted wage policies introduced without consultation that would add $450 million in costs for small businesses and destroy 50,000 jobs.
- Her climate plan would place massive new taxes on rural industries that independent analysis has confirmed will destroy 60,000 jobs.
- The NDP’s ban on clean energy projects will kill 1,000 rural jobs and billions in investment.
- James promoted a new tax on the forest industry. Only the NDP would consider a new tax to be a forest strategy.
- Even NDP candidates are distancing themselves from James’s policies – as illustrated by one caller’s revelation that the Shuswap NDP candidate endorsed the BC Liberal approach to climate action. This comes after two NDP candidates endorsed the clean energy projects that James wants to ban.
- When another caller confronted James on the damage her plan to eliminate the Housing Endowment Fund would cause vulnerable British Columbians, James verbally attacked the caller saying, “the caller is wrong!” Well, it’s James who is wrong. The Housing Endowment Fund provides sustainable funding for housing programs for burn survivors, women and children fleeing abuse, people with disabilities and others – and page 51 of the NDP platform says they will eliminate it to help pay for their reckless spending.
Premier Gordon Campbell and the BC Liberals have a plan to create jobs and build confidence and stability in British Columbia – and the Premier proved it once again today. Carole James showed British Columbians the NDP have nothing to offer but dishonesty, job-killing policies, and a confused approach to the economy that would take B.C. back.
