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Electoral strategies revealed as candidates come out swinging

On Tuesday, Lieutenant Governor Iona Campagnolo officially dissolved the Provincial Legislature and issued the 2005 B.C. General Election writ.

Within hours the campaigning began in earnest, with a little mud slinging from all sides.

NDP release Seven Commitments

The NDP, led by Carole James, has focused its campaign on the character of Premier Gordon Campbell and the issue of trust. Their position is that the Liberal government and Campbell have broken several promises and can’t be trusted for another term.

"After four years of Gordon Campbell’s broken promises, fee increases and mismanagement, I have heard clearly that British Columbians want their government to focus on getting a few very important things right," said James. "Our common-sense, practical commitments are centred on improving the lives of average British Columbians through very specific actions to rescue public health care, to help young people get the education they need, to improve our environment and restore integrity to government."

To kick-start their campaign, the NDP released a list of Seven Commitments:

• Opening 1,000 long-term care beds in 2005, and 5,000 more over next four years;

• Reducing wait lists and cleaning dirty and overcrowded hospitals;

• Freezing post-secondary tuition fees, doubling apprenticeships, and reducing K-12 class sizes;

• Halting privatization to ensure low Hydro and ICBC rates, and scrapping the $6 training wage;

• Balancing the budget and ensuring people in all regions of B.C. share in economic benefits;

• Restoring support for the most vulnerable – seniors, children, the disabled and poor;

• Re-establishing the Ministry of the Environment and enforcing clean air and water standards.

While the NDP is traditionally left of centre in its policies, various columnists have noted that the 2005 party platform suggests that the party has moved more to the centre to widen its appeal. There are no plans to raise taxes that were cut by the Liberals, and the party is advocating for an overall spending increase of just 0.5 per cent, including $200 million for economic diversification in rural B.C.

It’s been noted that the centrist platform reflects James’ reputation as a centrist when she served as president of the B.C. School Trustees Association.

Liberals stick to their guns

For their part the incumbent Liberals and Premier Gordon Campbell appeared to be unimpressed with the NDP’s "trust" campaign, and have taken their own shot at James by promising the province "real leadership." James currently has no experience in provincial government office.

The Liberals have also used the opportunity to remind the province of the errors of the previous NDP government, which went from a majority of the legislature to just two seats in the last election.

"This is a pivotal election," said Campbell. "It’s an opportunity for all British Columbians to have a say about the future of their province – whether to move forward or go backwards.

"Four years ago we were elected with a mandate to revitalize the economy, restore sound fiscal management and usher in a new era of hope and prosperity. We set out a plan. We acted on that plan. And clearly, it’s working."

The Liberals are standing by the direction of the economy and their record – according to a B.C. Liberal Party release, the party has put through 90 per cent of their New Era commitments from their 2001 platform.

Part of their 2005 platform is about the party’s achievements since 2001, titled Our Plan Is Working, with explanations of how the plan has worked for students, small businesses, health care recipients and providers, and so on.

On their website, the Liberals have also outlined a basic plan for the next four years called Great Goals for a Golden Decade:

• To make B.C. the best educated, most literate jurisdiction on the continent;

• To lead the way in North America in healthy living and physical fitness;

• To build the best system of support in Canada for persons with disabilities, special needs, children at risk and seniors;

• To lead the world in sustainable environmental management, with the best air and water quality, and the best fisheries management, bar none;

• To create more jobs per capita than anywhere else in Canada.

Green Party pushes rounded platform

The Green Party stayed out of the battle on the first official day of the campaign, but earlier in the week made a splash with the release of Green Book 2005, the party’s election platform.

The platform is central to the Green Party’s core strategy – to convince British Columbians that the party stands for more than environmental sustainability, including economic prosperity and sound fiscal policies.

Still, the party has stayed true to its socialist roots.

"The Green Party differs from the old parties (NDP and Liberals) in that we don’t cater to special interests," said Green Party leader Adriane Carr. "Our platform focuses on protecting the public interest, including keeping public assets like B.C.’s forestlands, B.C. Hydro and B.C. Ferries in public hands.

"A top priority for the Green Party is wisely investing in people, especially our children."

While the Green Party is committed to "a Just, Sustainable B.C.", education and health care are at the top of the list.

All told, the Green Book 2005 contains a list of over 300 measures to "address major problems and create a healthier economy, environment and society in B.C."

Polling locations confirmed

Sea to Sky polling stations are still being confirmed for May 17, but the list includes:

Whistler – Telus Whistler Conference Centre for polling and advance polling.

Squamish – Advance polling at the Brennan Park Recreation Centre; election day polling at Brackendale Elementary, Garibaldi Elementary, Squamish Elementary and Valleycliffe Elementary.

Pemberton – Pemberton Community Centre and Mt. Currie Community Hall (still to be confirmed).

All polling stations are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

For more information on advance voting and absentee voting, or registering in advance to vote, visit www.elections.bc.ca.