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And finally, election day is here and in case you need a reminder of why your vote for the NDP is important, have a read through this top ten list of reasons to vote for the NDP.

10. Yes to Jobs and Economic Development: The NDP plan invests in skills training to grow the economy and create jobs, and takes concrete steps to support mining and natural gas, high-tech, forestry, film, agriculture, tourism and small business.

9. Skilled Workforce: We will invest $40 million in skills training and $100 million in a student grants program annually to grow the economy, create jobs and build a thriving middle class.

8. Honesty About Finances: Our fully-costed plan says exactly what we’ll do and how we’ll pay for it. There will be no income tax increases for 98% of British Columbians and there are no HST-like surprises.

7. Standing up for Ferry Riders: We will keep current ferry fares in place through March 31, 2015, while we clean up the mess the BC Liberals have made at BC Ferries.

6. A New More Positive Approach to Politics: We will ban corporate and union donations, eliminate taxpayer-funded partisan advertising and call a Public Inquiry into the BC Rail Scandal.

5. Helping Children: It’s time for a new government that cares about children, with real help like our new BC Family Bonus, reducing child care costs and opening more child care spaces.

4. Improving Classroom Learning: We will hire new specialist teachers and education assistants, to support special needs kids and to free up teachers so they can focus on giving every child the attention they need and deserve.

3. Better Health Care: Our plan will improve seniors’ care, mental health services for children and youth, and hospital care – especially in targeted rural communities

2. Protecting the Environment:  We will take back control of pipeline decisions and protect our coasts from potentially catastrophic oil spills.

1. Change: British Columbians deserve better than more of the same. The HST broke your trust. So did the BC Rail and quick win scandals. It’s time for a change – change for the better.

These are 10 reasons British Columbians will vote for change today.

10.  The Worst Private Sector Job Performance in Canada: BC deserves better than the BC Liberals’ failed jobs plan, which has bled BC of 45,600 private sector jobs. The NDP plan invests in skills training to grow the economy and create jobs, and takes concrete steps to support LNG, mining, high-tech, forestry, film, agriculture and small business.

9.     Wasting Your Money on Partisan TV Ads:  BC deserves better than BC Liberals spending $17 million of your money on partisan advertising. The NDP will end partisan advertising.

8.     Misled you on their Deficits: BC deserves better than BC Liberals misleading us about government spending when they ran five straight deficits, including an $800-million deficit this year. The NDP’s fully-costed platform says what we will do and how we will pay for it.

7.     Misled you on their Debt: BC deserves better than BC Liberals misleading us about debt when Christy Clark is raising the debt faster than any premier in BC’s history. The NDP’s fully-costed platform says what we will do and how we will pay for it.

6.     The BC Rail Scandal: BC deserves better than BC Liberals giving $6 million of your money to convicted Liberal insiders. The NDP will hold a public inquiry into the BC Rail Scandal.

5.     The “Quick Wins” Scandal: BC deserves better than BC Liberals working on government time and the taxpayers’ dime on BC Liberal party election work. The NDP will put the public interest first.

4.     The BC Liberals Won’t Tell You Where They Stand on Ferry Fares: BC deserves better than BC Liberals who won’t tell you where they stand on ferry fares. The NDP will keep current ferry fares in place through March 31, 2015.

3.     They Have No Plan for Health Care, Education and Children: BC deserves better than BC Liberals who have no plan for health care, education, seniors and children. The BC NDP plan will expand seniors health care and mental health, improve classroom learning, expand child care and make it more affordable, and reduce child poverty.

2.     They Will Put Our Coast at Risk with Increased Tanker Traffic: BC deserves better than BC Liberals who hand over decision-making about pipelines to Ottawa and who will sell our coast for the right price. The BC NDP will take back control of pipeline decisions and protect our coasts from potentially catastrophic oil spills.

1.     The HST Broke Your Trust: In the last election, the BC Liberals promised – in writing – they would not bring in the HST. Weeks after the election, they  broke that promise and they broke your trust. That’s a record that doesn’t deserve to be rewarded.

Bill Tieleman wrote an interesting and exclusive piece for 24 Hours News. I have excerpted a section of that story here.

Bill Tieleman

The BC Liberal Party raised more than $300,000 from liquor businesses in a single day in 2010 just weeks before the provincial government introduced substantial changes to the Liquor Control and Licensing Act, a 24 Hours Vancouver investigation has found.

Rich Coleman

Independent liquor industry sources told 24 Hours the BC Liberal Party held an event March 24, 2010, at which liquor industry officials each paid $15,000 to meet with then-premier Gordon Campbell and Rich Coleman, the minister responsible for liquor distribution, over lunch at Gotham Steakhouse in Vancouver to discuss industry liquor issues.

To read the rest of this very intriguing story, you can visit Bill Tieleman’s blog.

While Adrian Dix was flipping pancakes and his handlers were temporarily caught off guard, I cornered Adrian Dix at an event in support of Chris Wilson, the NDP candidate for Coquitlam-Burke Mountain. I told him I was going to ask him two questions but I managed to slide in a third question to really test his ability to handle a politically difficult question.

Let me know what you think.

Statistics Canada reports today that BC lost 10,800 private sector jobs last month. Since the Premier introduced her jobs plan, BC lost 45,600 private sector jobs.

That is the worst record for private sector job creation in Canada.

What does that mean?

That means the “say anything” Liberals are failing both as public sector managers and in the private sector economy. A record that does not deserve four more years.

The Liberals say they’re all about a “strong” private sector economy. But today’s numbers show that this Liberal government has been a disaster for British Columbia’s private sector employment.

The Liberals also say they’re all about less public spending, and eliminating the provincial debt. But all of the job creation they boast about today occurred in the public sector — where they are running an $800 million deficit, and are increasing the provincial debt faster than any time in our history.

Weak, drifting, say-anything government. Government that is about campaigning, not governing. Government that has completely failed to create jobs in the private sector economy. That’s what is on offer from the Liberals in this election.

Do British Columbians want more of the same for the next four years?

Small wonder, as this election comes to an end, two-thirds of British Columbians continue to say that it is time for a change. Change for the better is a vote for the BC NDP on May 14th.

Adrian Dix is the right choice for British Columbia at this very important time.

He is a strong and intelligent leader, who will tackle the difficult issues facing our province thoughtfully and with purpose.

For my entire political career, I’ve always believed that our challenges are also our opportunities.

I’ve always believed we can have a prosperous economy that creates good, green jobs.

I’ve always believed we can have a generous society that treats seniors with respect and gives children every opportunity to succeed.

I’ve always believed we can respect our environment, and leave behind a better world for our children.

I believe that today, we can have all these things together, but to do it, we need the right leader.

That leader is not Christy Clark.

Her government has taken a one-sided approach that puts all our eggs in one basket.

It’s not the leadership we need today.

In this election, only Adrian Dix has demonstrated a balanced approach for change for the better.

Only Adrian Dix has had the principle to stand up and say our coastlines are too important to put at risk with a nine-fold increase in tanker traffic.

Only Adrian Dix has had the foresight to say we must refocus on meeting our climate change targets.

Only Adrian Dix has the vision to plan for good, green jobs in forestry, tourism, agriculture, film and high tech, as well as in mining and LNG.

Only Adrian Dix has said we have to act now to help children get a better start in life, not twenty years from now.

The BC Liberals talk a lot about jobs, but they’ve failed to provide training for BC’s young people.

More than 1 million job openings in the coming years will require some form of advanced education.

We need the cooperation of government, business, labour, educators and other community leaders to rebuild our training system, and ensure we are ready for the jobs of tomorrow.

That’s a vision Adrian Dix and I share.

Only Adrian Dix has said that as our population ages, we must find new ways to help seniors grow old in the comfort of their own homes.

It’s not just about ideas. It’s about having the intelligence and the focus to bring these important ideas to reality. And the leader who can do that is Adrian Dix.

On Tuesday, British Columbians have a clear choice.

We can have four more years of Christy Clark and the BC Liberals, or a new competent, progressive government, with the BC NDP.

We have a choice between scandal, mismanagement and misleading, or a prosperous economy, a healthy environment, and a caring society.

Since my time as Premier, I have been a tireless advocate of building a better BC.

Adrian Dix is a strong leader who will make a great Premier.

That’s Adrian Dix.

I’ve known Adrian Dix a long time. I know that he believes in a better BC, with a growing, sustainable economy.

There is so much at stake in this election. And like most elections in BC – this one will come down to the wire.

I know that there are many British Columbians who share my values, but who are still thinking about how to vote on May 14.

To those voters, I have clear message.

The only way we’ll get a Premier who cares about equality, is by voting NDP.

The only way we’ll get a Premier who believes in public health care, is by voting NDP.

And the only way we’ll get a Premier who will protect our coast lines, is by voting NDP.

If voters share these values and are worried about the risk of four more years of Christy Clark and the BC Liberals, then they must consider their choice carefully.

By voting for any party other than the NDP, in an election where every seat counts, they may be electing another BC Liberal government.

The only way to ensure the NDP are elected, is by voting NDP.

On May 14, let’s come together and vote for Adrian Dix and the BC NDP.

Adrian Dix and Selina Robinson

BC NDP leader Adrian Dix today said an NDP government will bring change for the better by conducting a judicial inquiry into the sale of BC Rail, and banning union and corporate donations to political parties.

“To every British Columbian who is longing for change, I say let’s come together to clean up the mess left by twelve long years of Liberal rule,” said Dix. “After the HST, after BC Rail and the ‘quick wins’ scandal and yet more of the same cynical, say one thing, do the opposite style of politics, it’s time for a new government and a new kind of politics.

“The sale of BC Rail was not only a broken campaign promise, just like the HST, it was badly bungled and many questions remain unanswered. We have to learn from this, so that the same mistakes are not repeated in future.”

The judicial inquiry will begin as soon as is practicable and is expected to conclude by 2015.

As part of renewing politics in BC, an NDP government will also ban corporate and union donations effective January 1, 2014. In addition, it would establish a multi-party legislative committee in the fall of 2013 to table recommendations on other issues around the financing of politics by the fall of 2014. A BC NDP government would also end the use of taxpayer-funded partisan government advertising.

“A BC NDP government will put individual voters back at the heart of our politics where they belong,” said Dix. “Only when we do that will we have a chance to restore our citizens’ faith in our democracy – and that would be change for the better.”

Adrian Dix

During a visit to Catalyst Paper’s manufacturing distribution centre, BC NDP leader Adrian Dix said NDP support for the forest company during recent financial difficulties is a clear contrast to BC Liberal inaction on BC’s foundational resource sector that endangered thousands of good family-supporting jobs across the province.

“The BC NDP’s change for the better means making significant investments in skills training and apprenticeships, a plan to address raw log exports to create BC jobs with BC logs, and taking stock of the state of our forests by updating our forest inventory.

“More of the same means mismanaged Crown lands, a declining timber supply, accelerating raw log shipments, and a lack of skilled workers to meet industry demand,” said Dix.

“When Catalyst Paper was facing tough times, the Premier was slow to come to the company’s aid, putting three coastal pulp and paper mills in jeopardy along with 7,000 direct and indirect jobs,” said Dix. “Catalyst is a significant contributor to BC’s economy, accounting for almost $2 billion in annual economic activity.”

Last January, Dix joined executives of Catalyst Paper to ring the TSX bell, marking the opening of the trading day in Toronto, and Catalyst’s return to public listing after emerging from creditor protection last September.

“In the election, there is a clear choice: more of the same neglect of our resource industries, or change for the better that will bring jobs and prosperity and take care of our forests,” said Dix.

Catalyst is western North America’s largest producer of mechanical printing paper and a recognized leader in sustainable business practices. Its customers span the globe and include retailers, publishers, commercial printers, and manufacturers.

A difficult new question is being asked after Global News exposed a secret plan hatched and executed in the Premier’s office to use tax dollars to fight the Port Moody by-election and prepare for this election.

Mike Farnworth

“Did the Premier, or any members of her Cabinet, know that senior advisors in her office were meeting on government time and taxpayer dime to plan and run the BC Liberal Port Moody by-election campaign, and get other campaigns ready for this provincial election,” asked Port Coquitlam NDP candidate Mike Farnworth.

“The BC Liberal record is one of spending your money like it’s their own. First came the “quick-win” ethnic outreach scandal and now its taxpayer-funded swing riding teams and a speaker’s bureau. That’s not a record that deserves to be rewarded. It’s time for a change,” said Farnworth.

The leaked documents shed light on taxpayer-funded BC Liberal Party “swing riding” teams, initially focused on the riding of Port Moody. The documents show the campaign was run from the Premier’s office, at taxpayer’s expense, by four of her staff: Kim Haakstad, Dave Ritchie, Dimitri Pantazopolous, and Trevor Halford.

“Port Moody Swing Riding Group” activities included responding to “a push from the party/PO [Premier’s Office] to start pushing more Caucus to events in the riding” to support the BC Liberal party’s by-election efforts. Team meetings took place during regular business hours at the BC Legislature in Room 247.

The leaked BC Liberal plan also details how Premier’s office staff and BC Liberal Party regional organizers worked hand-in-hand, using tax dollars, to create a “Minister and MLA Speaker’s Bureau,” a key goal of which was “making sure every single one of our [BC Liberal] riding associations is active and growing stronger as we get closer to May 2013.”

The BC Liberal plan was written by Haakstad, Christy Clark’s former Deputy Chief of Staff. Responsibility for ensuring taxpayer-funded “staff and [BC Liberal] local organizers can coordinate effectively” belonged to Dave Ritchie, Ms. Clark’s ministerial assistant. The salaries of Haakstad, Mayencourt and Ritchie were all paid for by taxpayers.

All the communication was done from private e-mail accounts, likely to conceal the use of taxpayer resources for partisan activities. Such a move would keep the plans from being seen by the public through freedom of information requests.

BC Liberal insiders Dave Basi and Bob Virk remember the BC Liberal record on BC Rail.

Christy Clark and Mike de Jong

• BC LIBERAL RECORD: Sold BC Rail after an election in which they promised not to.

• BC LIBERAL RECORD: Former senior BC Liberal ministerial aides provided insider information to interested parties in the 2003 sale of BC Rail and received benefits for the information, including dinners and a trip to a Denver Broncos NFL game in Colorado.

• FACT: Basi and Virk pleaded guilty to breach of trust.

• FACT: Basi and Virk were sentenced to two years less a day of house arrest.

• FACT: Basi was fined $75,600, the amount equal to what he admitted to receiving in exchange for the insider information.

BC Liberal candidate and then-Attorney General Mike De Jong said:

“These two individuals acted inappropriately” (A-Channel News Vancouver Island, Oct. 24, 2010)

So what was the BC Liberal response?

• BC LIBERAL RECORD: Made BC taxpayers pay BC Liberal insiders Basi and Virk’s $6 million legal bill.

Remembering the BC Liberal record on BC Rail is just another reason why more and more British Columbians are voting for change on May 14.