Leaked documents reveal Liberals' plan to win ethnic vote
Document outlines "quick wins" such as making apologies for historical wrongs
CBC News
Posted: Feb 27, 2013 5:46 PM PT
Last Updated: Feb 27, 2013 10:07 PM PT
The leaked documents were sent from the e-mail account of B.C. Premier Christy Clark's Deputy Chief of Staff last January. (The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck)
The NDP has uncovered documents that reveal how senior officials in Premier Christy Clark's office plan to win ethnic votes in the upcoming provincial election.
The documents, released Wednesday by the New Democrats, were sent from the personal e-mail account of Kim Haakstad, the premier’s Deputy Chief of Staff in January last year.
The "Multicultural Strategy" detailed a proposed ethnic outreach plan involving the premier's office, the Multiculturalism Ministry, the government caucus and the B.C. Liberal Party.
It also outlined "quick wins" for the Liberals, such as making apologies in the Legislature for historical wrongs and specifically mentioned the 1914 Komagata Maru incident, which saw a ship carrying 356 passengers forced to return to India after a two-month stand-off in Vancouver Harbour.
Premier Gordon Campbell already issued an official apology regarding the Komagata Maru incident in 2008.
NDP House Leader John Horgan said the leaked documents appear to show that election-related planning was conducted with the use of government resources.
But the Liberals insist the documents were purely for planning purposes and the "multicultural strategy" was never implemented.
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