BC NDP/Adrian Dix's record on jobs during the "Lost 1990's"

From the BC Government Caucus:

What was Adrian Dix’s impact on the 1990s B.C. economy? His policies ‘MC Hammer'd’ our growth, employment, and economy.

As the chief architect of the NDP's disastrous economic policies, we know what the results would be should he find himself in the Premier's Office again: he'd take us back to the 1990s. Like Crystal Pepsi and the neutral zone trap, Dix's economic policies are best left in the past.

While citing his desire to see government spend more on skills training, he forgets the most important fact: skilled workers need jobs to go to.

Let's take a look at the facts:

ADRIAN DIX AND JOBS:

• British Columbia was dead last in job growth in Canada while Adrian Dix was in charge (1996-2000).

• In those same Adrian Dix-led years (1996-2000), British Columbia had the highest unemployment rate of all the western provinces - each and every year.

• Youth unemployment was the highest in Canada west of Quebec and reached all-time highs under Dix's "stewardship" - all when his boss was the Minister Responsible for Youth.

• Between 1997-2001, more than 50,000 people fled British Columbia looking for work in other parts of Canada. Imagine the combined populations of Prince Rupert, Powell River, Williams Lake and Port Alberni disappearing east in search of work.

BC LIBERAL RECORD:

• Since 2001, British Columbia has the second-best job creation record in Canada - behind only Alberta.

• From 1998 to 2001, B.C. had the highest youth unemployment rate west of Quebec, and was higher than the national average in each of those years.

• In every year since 2005, B.C. has had a youth unemployment lower rate than the Canadian average.

• Since turning the province around under a BC Liberal government, between 2003-2010 almost 65,000 people moved into B.C.

Today, there are more people in British Columbia's post-secondary education system than ever before. Those graduates need a dynamic and thriving private sector to give them jobs and family-supporting paycheques.

To conclude with the 1990s references, we’d be remiss not to point out the fact in relation to the infamous back-dated memo, Adrian was indeed, ‘2 Legit 2 Quit’. He got fired instead.