By John Yap
For months, BC NDP Leader Adrian Dix has been hiding his plan for the future from British Columbians.
But details are slowly slipping out, they are proving costly, and they illustrate the BC NDP has no idea how to build a strong economy and keep life affordable for families.
Here are three examples of what the NDP doesn't want you to know:
1. The NDP's transportation critic said his party was against reducing road and bridge tolls and would actually expand tolls to cover more roads in the Lower Mainland. This means key arteries, the Oak and Knight Street bridges, would face tolls if the NDP had its way.
2. During a recent radio interview, the NDP labour critic said one of a worker's most fundamental rights - the ability for to vote by secret ballot on whether to join a union - might be revoked. Workers have the right to join a union, but they also deserve the right to make that decision in private.
3. When it comes to the Northern Gateway Project, the NDP have thrown up a smokescreen and hope no one sees how much their scheme will cost taxpayers. Originally, they were against the project; then said they want to spend millions on a sham review; and now they refuse to say whether Adrian Dix would honour the review.
Worst of all, this sham review sends a bad signal to business by adding another layer of red tape - threatening investment and jobs. Adrian Dix's smokescreen can't shield the NDP from the fact their plan would cost British Columbians.
And where do Premier Christy Clark and the B.C. Liberals stand? We stand with you.
As we build more needed infrastructure, our government will protect taxpayers and make sure tolls are affordable. But we will not impose tolls on existing roads as the NDP might do.
B.C. Liberals believe workers should make decisions on their future - not in a public meeting but in private, just like in an election.
And Premier Clark is standing up for British Columbians when it comes to the Northern Gateway Project - laying out five conditions that must be met before British Columbia will consider the project for approval. Additionally, our government's one-window, one-process policy reduces red tape, saves taxpayers money and provides businesses certainty while ensuring the highest environmental standards are met.
Premier Clark is focused on the growing economy and making life more affordable for families. For the first time ever, the value of our exports to Asia, where markets are growing, surpasses what we sell to the United States. To weed out waste, cut costs and keep rate increases low, our government ordered reviews of BC Hydro and ICBC.
Over the past 12 months, we've led the country in job creation, outpacing even booming Alberta. There are nearly 52,000 more British Columbians working today than there were one year ago. To build on this success, we're focusing on skills training, natural gas development and controlling spending to balance the budget.
Our government believes in transparency, but the NDP are giving British Columbians the silent treatment. It should make British Columbians wonder what else they're hiding.
John Yap is the Minister of Advanced Education, Innovation and Technology.