Reality Check, BC business Council reports that BC's economy has grown steadily under the last three Parties

[Harbinger]

http://www.bcbc.com/current-members

economic growth for the last 30 years has been basically steady through 3 different governments and actually grew faster under the NDP. That's just a fact.

Every political party wants you to believe they are the best suited to run B.C.'s economy. But how much influence can a provincial government have? CBC’s Reality Check team reached back in time to find out.

B.C. Liberal Leader Christy Clark believes one issue stands above all others this election campaign.

“I think that people are really coming to conclude that this election is about the economy,” she said during a recent campaign stop in Kamloops.

And she takes every opportunity she can to stress the B.C. Liberals are best suited to the job.

But how much control do the Liberals or any other party have over the growth of the B.C. economy? And historically, has one party done better than another?

Consistent growth

It's a big question — and the answer varies depending on how you measure the strength of an economy.

Economist Brian Yu says the global economy is the primary influence on B.C.'s economy. (CBC)

But overall, B.C.'s economic performance hasn't changed much between the NDP 90s and today.

"On the whole, growth has been pretty consistent over the past 20 years,” said Central 1 Credit Union economist Brian Yu.

Yu says provincial governments can implement long-term strategies to improve economic conditions, but says it's extremely difficult for government to grow the economy.

"I think the primary influences for the economy aren't policy directly, especially for a trading economy like B.C. It's what happens in the rest of the world.”

In other words, it’s hard to blame the Liberals for a global economic slowdown in 2008 — or the NDP for the Asian economic crisis of the late 90s.

Limited control

The B.C. Business Council recently released a study that measured B.C.'s economic performance in the 1980s, 1990s and the 2000s.

B.C. Votes 2013 How do your views fit into B.C.'s political landscape?

The report finds the economy has grown at a solid — but not stellar — pace over the past 30 years. And B.C. performed slightly better in the 1990s and 2000s compared to the 1980s, when the Social Credit Party was in power.

The report also points to another interesting statistic that measures the standard of living: GDP per capita — a measure of all the goods and services produced in the province, divided by the total population.

The province was ahead of the national average in 1991 but as the population grew, it fell behind in the 1990s and is still behind today.

The bottom line — provincial governments have limited control over the economy through taxation and other policies. The global economy and demand for B.C.’s natural resources, like liquefied natural gas or lumber, have the greatest influence.

[JoeyJoeJoeJr. Shabadoo]

Don't let facts get in the way of running a good campaign.

[canucks since 77]

Don't let facts get in the way of running a good campaign.

[JoeyJoeJoeJr. Shabadoo]

Something wrong with CBC's stats or that you cant handle the truth? CBC is the only actual unbiased media in Canada. Harbinger is showing actual facts that can be researched and proven. Unlike your Liberal nonsense who's only purpose is to deceive. I'm looking foreword to an NDP govt who's track record is PROVEN by stats, not Liberal lies and spin. The front page of a certain liberal news paper comes to mind. More deceit.

[canucks since 77]

Whoosh

[Harbinger]

Come on liberal supporters who say the Ndp will sink the economy. What do you say?

[Lockout Casualty]

Come on liberal supporters who say the Ndp will sink the economy. What do you say?

[Harbinger]

Nothing.

[Lockout Casualty]

The problem with facts is that they get in the way of a good lie. This is one fact liberal supporters just can't stand hearing.

[Harbinger]

Just wait till Wet comes along with is one-sided (re)posts and a buckedt of contempt for anything contradictory.

On the other hand, it's fun watching the other, less capable cons stay mum in that other thread. It's like this wasn't even posted.

[Lockout Casualty]

The problem with anything Wet will come back with is that it will just be spin. This is a report from businesses. If you look at who did this report and where there financial backing comes from. It's a who's who of business.

[Harbinger]

No doubt these businesses are chock-full of grade A NDP morons at the helm. Just waiting to sink this province and move to Alberta.

[mpt]

I wouldn't be talking about lies and deceit, when the NDP elect a criminal as their leader it speaks loud and clear to the quality of their members, really was the fraud the best person to pick?

If he was the best person for the job I feel sorry for all the non criminals in the NDP party; they must of been that far behind. Who would choose a criminal over a non criminal unless the non criminals are that much worse?

Farnsworth should've been leader, but they wouldn't elect a gay man as leader. I guess they feel a criminal is better than a homosexual. I for one trust a homosexual over Adrian Dix; people too easily forget the past...

[Harbinger]

I wouldn't be talking about lies and deceit, when the NDP elect a criminal as their leader it speaks loud and clear to the quality of their members, really was the fraud the best person to pick?

If he was the best person for the job I feel sorry for all the non criminals in the NDP party; they must of been that far behind. Who would choose a criminal over a non criminal unless the non criminals are that much worse?

Farnsworth should've been leader, but they wouldn't elect a gay man as leader. I guess they feel a criminal is better than a homosexual. I for one trust a homosexual over Adrian Dix; people too easily forget the past...

[mpt]

I agree with your point, the economy will drive itself, I'm concerned with the spending, under the last NDP government the janitors in the hospitals were making more money than the health care workers, that just isn't right...

[Electro Rock]

The B.C. economy may have grown in the '90s, due to the huge numbers of people settling here from both the rest of the country and overseas, but you could tell even then that properity was leaving the province even if statstics indicated otherwise.

B.C. has become a dump compared to what it used to be, now plagued with low average incomes compared to the unusually high cost of living, epic corruption and a demographic invasion from Asia.

If you don't like the way things have become the only vote that will make a difference at this point is to vote with your feet.

[JoeyJoeJoeJr. Shabadoo]

I guess they feel a criminal is better than a homosexual. I for one trust a homosexual over Adrian Dix; people too easily forget the past...

[canucks since 77]

B.C. has become a dump compared to what it used to be, now plagued with low average incomes compared to the unusually high cost of living, epic corruption and a demographic invasion from Asia.

[Lockout Casualty]

The B.C. economy may have grown in the '90s, due to the huge numbers of people settling here from both the rest of the country and overseas, but you could tell even then that properity was leaving the province even if statstics indicated otherwise.

B.C. has become a dump compared to what it used to be, now plagued with low average incomes compared to the unusually high cost of living, epic corruption and a demographic invasion from Asia.

If you don't like the way things have become the only vote that will make a difference at this point is to vote with your feet.

[Wetcoaster]

However that "reaity check" ignores the fact that under the last BC NDP government BC became a "have-not" province for the first time in our history and our credit rating with government lenders fell markedly which cost taxpayers many millions more to service our debt and deficit.

It took the BC Liberals to turn that around following their election in 2001 to bring BC back to the status of a "have" province. And that was despite Harcourt and Glen Clark being in power during a time of a robust global economy. Under Harcourt the S&P rating was AA+. By the time Clark was forced from office in 1999 the rating had dropped to AA-. By 2005 the rating under the BC Liberals had climbed back to AA as a number of disastrous policies were ended and new polices began to take effect, in 2006 it was AA+ and 2007 it was raised to AAA where it has remained since.

In the case of the BC Liberals they have not only restored BC's "have" status and a top credit rating and thereby saved the taxpayers millions, they have manged to do so in the midst of the the 2008 meltdown of the global economy. I shudder to think what would have happened had the BC NDP been in power

That indicates that the BC Liberals do a much better job of managing BC's economy. It is all about comparables.

With the spend and tax BC NDP in power these AAA ratings would again be in jeopardy as they were during the last BC NDP administrations and that means that not only will debt and deficits rise but the cost of servicing the debt will increase and cost taxpayers significantly more. Kind of a double whammy. And put us back on the path of becoming a "have-not" province.

That is a real reality check.