“Most of these statements, if not all, people once thought of as principles the BC Liberal Party supported”

For those who stop by on a regular basis to read my blog, you’ll have noted yesterday’s post, which was entitled “Under Premier Clark's leadership we've seen increased costs to businesses in BC, and to middle class families, who continue to fall farther and farther behind".

In part of the post I noted that:

 … many British Columbians, including business owners, are asking if this government truly represents free-enterprise, and the workers it employs?

I went on to say that:
If you ask people in the Kamloops area, to define this government's claim to representing so-called 'free enterprise', you’ll be met with varying responses. Whether business owners, or their employees trying to raise a family and keep a roof over their head, neither can see how this BC Liberal Government has helped them keep a few more dollars in their pockets.

BC businesses have faced not only the increase in corporate tax rates, but also user fees which penalize their business growth.

That led my nephew, a fellow blogger to respond by saying:
Earlier today - BC Conservative Kamloops Regional Director (and Kamloops blogger) Alan Forseth took the BC Liberals' to task over its' fiscal policies including a possible corporate tax hike schedule to take place in 2013.

For BC Conservatives' to continually 'squawk off' about BC Liberal fiscal policies is really getting old because if they truly want to become government in 2013 and want to rid this province of the fiscal deficit (caused by external forces), then they need to say how they'll make up ditching the carbon tax and which provincial services (healthcare, education, social services, transportation, etc) they'll dump in order to bring the provincial books to balance.  Sound bites won't do.  Actual list of services that BC Conservatives' will dump is now needed as the voters' of this province need to know how each political party will serve the best interests of this province from 2013-2018.

Well Steve ... as much as I appreciate your comments, you'll note that the basis for my blog post was ultimately the comments of the BC business community, which I happen to agree with.  Just to be clear, the comments I included, I believe, made a strong case for what I had to say:

… BC food producers have said the carbon tax hurts their bottom line

… the Business Council of BC has described the carbon tax as unfair because BC based businesses pay the tax, but their competitors from outside of the province do not.

…  Shachi Kurl, director of provincial affairs for BC and Yukon for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business said … “The costs of doing business are starting to become unsustainable.”  Kurl added that rising hydro and other utility costs, as well as the carbon tax, are other increases businesses have faced in recent years.  “All of this is coming out of the same till.”

… the Cariboo Cattlemen’s Association says the carbon tax continues to put ranchers at a competitive disadvantage ... “we’re paying the tax and there’s no investment coming back... into the sector to reduce our carbon footprint ... either exempt us from the tax or get a program in place to provide some benefits back to us.”

And the Fraser Institute stated that:

… competitive personal income tax rates enable the province to better retain and attract high-skilled professionals as well as promote entrepreneurship and innovation in BC.

Again, those comments make sense to me --- they are things I have been saying, and commenting on now, for a year and a half.

This government has a problem keeping taxes, fees, and utility rates under control … both for business, and BC’s middle-class.  I know it … the people of BC know it … and now even the business community is speaking out on it.

So Steve, what I fail to understand is why you would shoot the messenger?

By the way, while I cannot give specifics on our platform, as you are well aware, it will be coming out once the policy proposals, put forward by our membership, are voted on and approved at our AGM in September.

One thing you can be assured of however, they will be in line with our belief in fiscal restraint, accountability, and openness.

They will also be in line with the fiscal and economic promises which can be found in Our Contract With British Columbians:

• every tax dollar collected from British Columbians is received in trust. This trust must be managed and accounted for according to the highest standards of integrity and transparency. The people’s scrutiny of all spending decisions should be encouraged and welcomed.

• economic growth and job creation is most effectively driven through the private sector as the engine of the economy

• introduce competitive provincial, personal and corporate tax rates to encourage investment, growth and job creation in all regions of our Province

• the new BC Conservative Party will provide citizens with a government that will live  within its means

• there will be a focus on responsible spending and cost reductions

• the focus on fiscal management will ensure debt costs are reduced

Most, if not all, of these statements people once thought of as principles the BC Liberal Party supported.  Given the high degree of disapproval they now face from voters --- and even the concerns now being raised by the business community --- it’s is obvious the BC Liberal Party no longer is committed to these concepts and ideas.

Perhaps that is why the BC Liberal Party has already lost over 30% of its support to the BC Conservative Party.   

These are common sense ideas to maintain a strong and vibrant economy – these will be the foundation of the BC Conservative Party platform.

I’m Alan Forseth in Kamloops, with the thoughts of one conservative.