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BC Liberals tangle with NDP on Day 1 of election campaign

Last Updated: Tuesday, April 14, 2009 | 5:51 PM PT

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BC Liberal Leader Gordon Campbell says the New Democrats could devastate the province economically. BC Liberal Leader Gordon Campbell says the New Democrats could devastate the province economically. (CBC)

On the first official day of the election campaign, the leaders of B.C.'s two major political parties discredited each other's abilities to run the province in tough economic times.

Gordon Campbell, leader of the BC Liberals, called New Democratic Party Leader Carole James inexperienced and her party's platform "chilling."

"It will chill investment across this province. It will cost thousands and thousands of jobs across the province, but that's the choice that people will face," Campbell said in his first official election statement Tuesday.

"Ms. James doesn't have a lot of business experience. She clearly doesn't understand a lot of the challenges that businesses and communities face across the province," he said.

The NDP, if elected to govern the province, could take it back to "have not" status, Campbell said.

NDP Leader Carole James asked potential Green Party supporters to vote for the New Democrats in order to defeat the Liberals.NDP Leader Carole James asked potential Green Party supporters to vote for the New Democrats in order to defeat the Liberals. (CBC)

Campbell will unveil details of his party's platform on Wednesday, including a $14-billion infrastructure program that promises to create up to 88,000 new jobs over the next three years.

The NDP released its election platform last week, promising to scrap the carbon tax, restrict raw log exports and bring BC Ferries back under closer government control.

James kicked off the NDP campaign Tuesday with events in downtown Vancouver and Burnaby. She was quick to attack the Liberals and discouraged people from voting for the Green Party.

"I'll be reaching out to all voters, including those who are thinking about voting Green, to say what's at stake here," James said.

"The future of British Columbia is at stake.... Whether it's our rivers and streams, Gordon Campbell is giving away the things that belong to us, and this election is about the future of our province.

"So I will be encouraging everyone to take a look at who has the best opportunity in this election to defeat Gordon Campbell," James said.

The campaign for the May 12 provincial election officially got underway Tuesday afternoon after Lt.-Gov. Steven Point dissolved the legislature.

Poll hours on voting day are from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. PT. Advance voting will take place May 6 to May 9.

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B.C. Votes 2009

CBC Features:

B.C. Votes 2009
Voter tool kit: what you need to know to vote
Interactive video: timeline of the B.C. election campaign
In Quotes: what are leaders are say about the issues?
Reality Check: CBC reporters check the facts

Political profiles

B.C. Liberal Party profile
B.C. New Democratic Party profile
Green Party of B.C. profile
B.C.'s other political parties
Jane Sterk: leader of the Green Party of B.C.
Carole James: leader of the B.C. NDP
Gordon Campbell: leader of the B.C. Liberal Party

External links

B.C. NDP
Green Party of B.C.
B.C. Liberal Party
Elections BC

BC-STV referendum

What is BC-STV?
Animated video: how would BC-STV work?
Electoral reform information office
British Columbians for BC-STV
No STV
Citizens' Assembly on electoral reform

Overall Results

Overall Election Results
Party Elected Leading Total
Updated: May. 13, 2009, 1:16 AM PDT
LIB 49 0 49
NDP 36 0 36
GRN 0 0 0
CON 0 0 0
OTH 0 0 0

Choose a format to view results for all ridings and parties:

Interactive results map Riding results

All results are unofficial until final ballot counts are verified by Elections B.C.

STV referendum overall results

Question: Which electoral system should British Columbia use to elect members to the provinical Legislative Assembly?

  • The existing system (First-Past-the-Post)
  • The single transferable vote electorial system (BC-STV) proposed by the Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform

Electoral District Vote

BC-STV

First-Past-the-Post

51 RIDINGS

 
 
 

Ridings 7/85

Ridings 78/85

Updated: May. 13, 2009, 1:16 AM PDT

85/85 ridings reporting

Total Popular Vote

BC-STV

First-Past-the-Post

MAJORITY 60%

 
 
 

560,430 votes | 38.82%

883,259 votes | 61.18%

Updated: May. 13, 2009, 1:16 AM PDT

What it needs to win:

For the referendum to be binding, the approval level must be:

  1. more than 50% of the votes in at least 51 of the province's 85 electoral districts, AND
  2. at least 60% of the total popular vote, province-wide.

If the two thresholds are met, government is required to introduce legislation to implement BC-STV in sufficient time for it to be in place for the May 2013 General Election.

B.C. Votes Headlines

Huntington defeats Oppal in B.C. election recount Video
Independent candidate Vicki Huntington has defeated high profile B.C. Liberal cabinet minister Wally Oppal in the riding of Delta South in one of two provincial election recounts concluded on Tuesday.
Oppal falls behind in see-saw Delta South recount
B.C. Liberal Wally Oppal fell behind in Monday's initial recount of ballots cast in Delta South in the May 12 provincial election. Absentee votes will still need to be counted Tuesday before the final result will be announced Wednesday.
Record low voter turnout in B.C. election
Voter turnout in B.C.'s provincial election hit a record low on Tuesday, with only 50 per cent of eligible voters bothering to vote, a full eight percentage points less than the 58 per cent that voted in 2005.
Oppal awaits results of recount for Delta South seat
There will be an automatic recount in the Delta South riding after preliminary election results show star Liberal candidate Wally Oppal beat independent Vicki Huntington by a mere two votes.
Re-elected Campbell to focus on strengthening B.C.'s economy Video
Gordon Campbell says reviving the province's economy is his main task as he heads into a historic third straight term as the province's premier, but other issues — such as health care and the environment — are also on the agenda.

My Riding & Riding Talk

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B.C. Votes Features

What is STV?
FeatureWhat is STV?
Single transferable vote explainer
Quotes from party leaders
InteractiveIn Quotes
What the leaders are saying about some of the major issues
Video Timeline
WatchVideo Timeline
Video coverage of election campaign

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