BC NDP Newswire

British Columbians Pay For B.C. Liberal Budget Deception

_Post-election budget has nothing to offer except new tax, hikes to MSP
premiums_

_VICTORIA – _With today’s post-election budget, the B.C. Liberals are
breaking the fundamental commitments they made to British Columbians but
have nothing to offer other than a new tax for consumers and increased
Medical Services Plan premiums, the New Democrats said today.

“Today’s budget is an admission that the B.C. Liberals misled the public and
have no ideas about how to deal with the economic downturn,” said New
Democrat leader Carole James.

“They lied about the severity of the crisis, and now just as families are
struggling to emerge from the downturn the Liberals’ only answer is a new
tax and hikes to MSP premiums.”

James noted that despite the B.C. Liberals’ promises to protect health care
and education, today’s budget does not have any funding for increased costs
and will mean the cancelation of thousands of surgeries and cuts to services
for students.

“British Columbians are being forced to pay the price for the B.C.
Liberals’ budget lies with higher taxes and deep cuts to public services.
This budget is both an admission of the government’s deceit and of its
economic incompetence,” said New Democrat finance critic Bruce Ralston.

“It’s not often that a finance minister gets two tries at a budget in one
year, and strikes out both times. The B.C. Liberals are out of ideas, and
now are using the economic downturn as an excuse to hike fees and foist a
new tax on families and small businesses.”

Under the Campbell government, B.C. has had the worst rate of full-time job
losses, the second-worst performing economy, and highest level of child