[LabComm] Money wasted on government ads could be used to reduce waitlists, says James

[BC NDP NEWSWIRE]

-- NDP Leader says one BCTV ad could pay for 12 surgeries --

VICTORIA – Instead of wasting millions of tax dollars on partisan political advertising Premier Gordon Campbell should reduce skyrocketing waitlists for surgery, NDP Leader Carole James said today.

James said the money being spent by Gordon Campbell to take out full-page ads in the province's daily and weekly newspapers and to run 60-second television commercials in prime time on BCTV and other channels would be better spent on providing much needed surgeries to those suffering on waitlists.

"Wait lists for surgery in BC are out of control, with a 30 per cent increase since the day Mr. Campbell took office," said James. "But instead of honouring his promise to reduce waitlists, he's spending millions of dollars on partisan political advertising, breaking another promise in the bargain.

James said the average cost according to the government for in-patient procedures is $3000.

"Running a 60-second commercial on BCTV just one time could pay for up to 12 surgical procedures," said James. "And this government is running these television ads dozens of times every day, seven days a week.

"A single full-page ad in the Saturday Vancouver Sun can cost over $20,000. That's nearly 7 procedures that could be performed. Instead, Mr. Campbell prefers to run partisan political ads on a daily basis and in every major newspaper in the province." 

Before the last election, Gordon Campbell promised to reduce waitlists and promised not to run government advertising during an election campaign. But waitlists have grown by over 30 per cent since 2001, and during the Surrey-Panorama Ridge by-election, in addition to the millions being spent on provincial ads, the Campbell government is targeting community papers in Surrey in an effort to boost the Liberal campaign there. 

"No wonder his Liberal candidate hasn't bothered to take out ads in local papers," said James. "She doesn't need to when BC taxpayers are footing the bill for her advertising instead."

James called on the premier to pull all advertising immediately. "At the very least, he should halt government advertising until after the by-election is over," said James.

James announced that NDP House Leader Joy MacPhail would introduce a private members' bill into the BC Legislature Wednesday that would ban partisan political advertising using taxpayer dollars during by-elections and elections.
 
- 30 -

To unsubscribe or change your settings go to: http://www.e-2ve6y.signup.bc.ndp.ca/
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://bcfed.net/pipermail/labcomm/attachments/20041019/5292807b/attachment.html>