VANCOUVER, British Columbia — British Columbia Premier Ujjal Dosanjh defends his government’s pre-election budget, dismissing Opposition Liberal claims the New Democrats were fudging the numbers again as “deliberate, doctored distortions.”
Dosanjh, who must call an election before the end of June, said Thursday’s budget crystalizes the choice between the New Democrats’ deliberate approach and the Liberals’ mantra of dramatic tax cuts, which he said would damage British Columbia’s prized quality of life.
“British Columbia has a competitive advantage in the quality of life,” said Dosanjh, referring to a comment he attributed to a high-tech industry representative.
“This budget is about protecting that quality of life and reinvesting in education, which is the key to the economy in the 21st century.”
The New Democrats had hoped the budget would kick off a campaign debate over competing visions of provincial prosperity.
Instead, the government was forced to do damage control after the substance of the budget was leaked Wednesday.
The Opposition is claiming revenue projections in NDP government’s $24-billion budget, which includes an 8.2 per cent spending increase, were cooked to ensure the books would be balanced going into an election.
The Liberals’ accusation was designed to resonate with voters, who re-elected the NDP to a second term in 1996 after it tabled a balanced budget.
After the election, the government admitted its economic forecasts were optimistic and there would really be a deficit.
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