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VICTORIA — With the year end approaching, Opposition leader John Horgan seized the opportunity Wednesday to take a final shot at the B.C. Liberals for an almost $50 million cash grab on medical service plan premiums.

“Christy Clark’s MSP shell game will deliver an unhappy New Year’s surprise to British Columbians,” declared the press release from the New Democratic Party caucus.

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“Medical premiums are an unfair tax on an already struggling middle class,” said Horgan. “Now Christy Clark is sneaking in another 10 per cent increase on half a million families while claiming she is doing the opposite.”

Exactly so.

The B.C. Liberals are lately trumpeting the elimination of a scheduled four per cent increase for all MSP premium payers, that was to have kicked in on Jan. 1.

The increase was announced in the February budget, part of an annual ritual under the B.C. Liberals that has seen four per cent increases year after year. But Finance Minister Mike de Jong cancelled the increase as part of the September budget update. His reason was the fiscal leeway provided by a projected $2 billion operating surplus, up from $300 million in February’s projection.