VICTORIA: The BC division of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) today reacted to the release of British Columbia's 1998-99 Public Accounts and 1998-99 Debt Statistics Report, and to the statement by BC Finance Minister Gordon Wilson regarding BC's "low" debt vis-à-vis other provinces.

"For Gordon Wilson to trumpet BC's supposed low debt-load is akin to David Lee Roth taking credit for the chastity of Anne of Green Gables. The credit is not his to take," said CTF-BC director Mark Milke.

Milke noted that Mr. Wilson should give credit to W.A.C. Bennett, Bill Bennett, and maybe even Bill VanderZalm. "The current government has almost doubled the provincial debt since they took office in 1991. The NDP should treat the word 'debt' similar to the word 'bingo.' Mentioning either is bad public relations."

Milke pointed out that total provincial debt - $32.018 billion (as of March 31, 1999) - would be even higher had it not been for increased transfers from the federal government (an extra $314 million) and increased reliance on crown corporations (an extra $196 million.)

Milke noted that the province continues to skim more money from crown corporations, a policy of taxation by stealth. "And the next time taxpayers hear BC's government blaming Ottawa for 'cuts in transfers,' taxpayers should note that such transfers are now up - substantially. Without extra crown corporation and federal government money, BC's debt would have soared by another $510 million," said Milke.