NDP Candidate Calls for Ban on Foreign Investments

Although this is a bit of an "old news", this shows the NDP really don't have a clue on how to manage our province's economy.

Instead of choosing to repeat "A Decade of Disasters", I hope British Columbians will choose "A Golden Decade" on May 17.

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May 6, 2005

SALMON ARM – The NDP candidate in Shuswap is proposing one of the most regressive, extreme policies ever contemplated by the NDP – a ban on foreign investment and ownership of natural resources, said George Abbott, Minister of Sustainable Resource Management and BC Liberal Party candidate for Shuswap.

The NDP candidate for Shuswap, Calvin White, has publicly called for an end to foreign ownership of things like mineral rights in the natural resource sector. In an all-candidates debate in Enderby on Tuesday, White said:

“I am absolutely opposed to increasing in any way foreign control of any public property in this province.”

White then specifically said he was opposed to “a Chinese enterprise that wants to buy mineral rights in the north of the province.”

“By specifically targeting Chinese investment, the NDP are rejecting the world’s fastest growing economy – and Canada’s fastest growing major trading partner,” said Abbott. “Our entire Gateway Strategy is aimed at diversifying the province’s trading partners in Asia – now the NDP are saying they oppose that strategy because it could increase Asian investment and ownership in British Columbia.

“With China, India and the entire South Asian region booming economically – the NDP’s plan to end direct foreign investment from China sends a chilling signal to potential job creators from overseas,” said Abbott.

“Would this ban extend to the possible investment and ownership of Skeena Cellulose from a Chinese firm? Has Mr. White talked to anyone from the South Asian community – such as Gabriel Yiu or Jenny Kwan about his views on foreign investment from China? What about the NDP candidate for North Coast, Gary Coons? If implemented this policy would end any possible Chinese investment in Skeena Cellulose.

“No matter how hard Carole James tries to paint the NDP as ‘moderate’, there is absolutely nothing moderate about the NDP – as this extremely regressive NDP policy proposal proves once again.”