Article content continued

He said one area that may not be completely fair in the Scott-DeVries report is they phase-in MSP premiums in each of the three years when the NDP have only said they will do it by Year 4 after a panel examines the issue. That would reduce the deficit Scott-DeVries calculated by as much as half, noted Kesselman. That’s important because the Liberals have also not said how they will fully eliminate the MSP premium, already promised to be cut in half by both parties, he said.

“It’s kind of a game that parties will play. What they do say, what they don’t say. What they kind of commit to, but don’t tell you when, if ever,” said Kesselman.

The criticisms the Scott-DeVries report outline aren’t new.

Last week, Abbotsford West Liberal candidate Mike de Jong, who has held the finance portfolio since 2012, held a budget-like news conference to attack the NDP budget.

De Jong criticized the NDP for not saying how they would fully eliminate MSP premiums. But when questioned how the Liberals would do the same, a flustered de Jong said their elimination promise was only an objective.

The NDP have also responded by saying that a B.C. Hydro and ICBC rates freeze would be for only one year followed by a review.

Norman Ruff, University of Victoria political science professor emeritus, said the Liberals pride themselves on having a monopoly on sound financial management: “So, they are trying to undermine any standing the NDP would have in that area.”

Cameron said the Liberals may be facing a problem when criticizing the NDP budget, because they have a credibility problem of their own after such items as accusing the NDP of hacking their computers, which wasn’t true.

ghoekstra@postmedia.com

twitter.com/gordon_hoekstra

CLICK HEREto report a typo.

Is there more to this story? We’d like to hear from you about this or any other stories you think we should know about. Emailvantips@postmedia.com.