The Editor,
I wasn't as thrilled as Adrian Dix was about going to Ottawa to "learn from other NDP winners" last week.
First, Mr. Dix mentioned NDP Premier Greg Selinger of Manitoba as a winner who not only promised not to raise taxes, but even went so far as to put it down in writing for the voters of Manitoba but that was before he won the election.
After he won the election, Greg Selinger raised the taxes in Manitoba by $182 million. He brought in some of the biggest tax increases in the history of the province.
He is also not ruling out tax hikes again in the next budget for 2013.
Next, Mr. Dix also mentioned NDP Premier Derrell Dexter who recently won the election in Nova Scotia as someone he would like to talk to as well.
Dexter said he wouldn't raises taxes either if he was elected. After he won the election, Dexter raised the HST in Nova Scotia to the highest level in Canada.
Mr. Dix, you already have a lot of experience in the political field here in B.C.
You, Mr. Dix, were the Chief-of-Staff for Glen Clark when B.C. had the highest marginal income tax rates in Canada.
B.C. was also last in Canada for job growth and B.C. became a "have not" province.
Mr. Dix, you also sat in on the outrageous "fast ferry" decisions which cost the B.C. taxpayer $450 million, only to be sold for $19 million to a Washington marine group, which, in turn, sold our fast ferries to Abu Dhabi Mar in the United Arab Emirates.
So you see Mr. Dix, why I am not as thrilled as you talking to these NDP "winners" and I am sure that most of the voters of B.C. are not thrilled as well with the idea that you consider NDP politicians, who said they wouldn't raise taxes and then raise taxes after they win the election, as winners either. I would call them liars.
Hopefully, if you become Premier, you will not follow in the same footsteps that your "winners" have taken.
Linda Cooper Richmond
