Weaver says campaigns are exactly the time to talk about platform commitments

When pressed by the Vancouver Sun Editorial Board to explain the B.C. NDP’s plan and costing for reforming MSP premiums, Horgan responded by saying “I don’t think at this point in an election campaign is the time to determine those issues.”

“Unlike John Horgan, I think elections are exactly the time to talk about our campaign commitments,” said Weaver. “If the B.C. NDP is going to make a multi-billion dollar commitment to eliminate MSP, they need to tell British Columbians how they plan to pay for it. The B.C. Green plan is fully costed and takes a clear position on exactly how we will eliminate MSP premiums and make funding of our healthcare system more progressive.

“Frankly, neither the B.C. Liberals nor the B.C. NDP has given us the straight goods when it comes to their platform commitments. Last election the B.C. Liberals misled voters about the opportunities LNG presented, and now we have the NDP trying to hide massive holes in their budget.”

“This election is about trust. Can you trust the B.C. NDP when they won’t even tell us where they stand on their own commitments? Can you trust the B.C. Liberals when they play the same political games themselves? My view is that British Columbians deserve to know the details of all of the parties’ plans now, in order to make a decision before the election.”

The B.C. Greens have put together a comprehensive, detailed and costed strategy to develop opportunities for the New Economy. In an interview with Metro News, University of Victoria economist Lindsay Tedds described the B.C. Green platform as “very impressive”, “sensible” and “realistic”. The B.C. Greens’ strategy for the new economy was endorsed yesterday by Dave Krysko, entrepreneur and co-founder of Club Penguin, one of British Columbia’s biggest technology success stories.

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Backgrounder - Key Issues and the Positions of Parties

In addition to MSP, the B.C. NDP’s platform features a number of other major commitments where they avoid taking clear positions on how they will achieve them, instead punting the details of what they would do to post-election panels. These issues include: Site C, their climate action plan, ridesharing and MSP.  

Site C

B.C. NDP on Plan for Site C:

Despite clear evidence from independent experts that the Site C dam is not in the best interests of British Columbians, the B.C. NDP would send it back to the B.C. Utilities Commission to make another recommendation. If the B.C. NDP were fully committed to cancelling the project, why not just take a clear position?

What the Greens Propose:

We are firmly opposed to the Site C dam. It is the wrong project at the wrong time when alternative energy, including geothermal, wind, tidal and small-scale hydro sources, coupled with existing dams, would meet our electricity needs and support a thriving clean energy sector. This approach would provide future power requirements with better costs and more employment opportunities.

Climate Plan

B.C. NDP on Climate Plan:

Yesterday we again heard that the B.C. NDP plan on tackling climate change is to develop a plan to make a plan to have a plan. The Climate Leadership Team already provided their expert opinions on what steps B.C. needs to take on climate action. Instead of adopting these recommendations, or taking the time to develop their own plan, the B.C. NDP promise to establish another Climate Leadership Team that will advise them on a plan. On top of that, they don’t plan to take serious action by increasing the carbon tax until 2020.

What the Greens Propose:

The B.C. Greens’ platform includes a comprehensive climate action strategy that integrates greenhouse gas emissions reductions with a strong economic strategy to build new opportunities in the emerging economy in areas like clean tech and the creative economy.

http://www.bcgreens.ca/climate_leadership

Medical Service Plan Premiums

B.C. NDP on MSP Plan:

Yesterday John Horgan took his “plan to develop a plan to come up with a plan” a step further by telling reporters that an election campaign wasn’t the time to talk about the B.C. NDP’s platform commitments. The NDP would strike a non-partisan MSP Elimination Panel to advise on how to protect health care funding, while phasing out MSP premiums. The panel will be required to ensure low and middle-income families all come out ahead.

What the Greens Propose:

The B.C. Greens have been clear about their plan to eliminate MSP premiums from the beginning: A B.C. Green government would roll MSP premiums into the income tax system, ensuring that health care funding is part of the progressive tax system and reduce the burden on lower-income British Columbians. The plan is fully costed in the B.C. Green Party platform.

http://www.bcgreens.ca/income_security

Ride Sharing

B.C. NDP on Ride Sharing Plan:

In an interview published today, John Horgan backed off his support for ridesharing, indicating that a B.C. NDP government had a plan to “open up hearings to have people come and tell us how and why we should do it.” The B.C. NDP aren’t telling voters how they would implement their policies, leaving the details to be decided after the election.

What the Greens Propose:

In 2016, Andrew Weaver was the first MLA to introduce legislation that would enable ridesharing in BC. The B.C. Greens support ridesharing and would introduce legislation to enable ridesharing. A B.C. Green government would also establish an Emerging Economy Task Force to rapidly respond to technological innovation in a way that benefits British Columbians and B.C. business, so that B.C. never falls this far behind the curve of innovation again.

http://www.bcgreens.ca/strategy_for_the_new_economy_innovation_and_sustainable_enterprise