Quebec Richer than BC

August1991 · May 4, 2004

Average personal income is higher in Quebec than in BC for the first time data was collected in 1981. The reason apparently is BC falling behind since 1995. Is this the result of the NDP?

British Columbia, after slipping into third place in 1996, has fallen further and further behind its one-time competitors. Its average income dropped below the national average in 1998 and by 2003, was more than $6,000 behind Alberta and more than $3,500 behind Ontario.

G&M Income Data

maplesyrup · May 4, 2004

I feel sorry for people who base everything in life on money. Very few people in BC want to move away from here.

And wouldn't it be the Conservative right wing BC Campbell Liberals that are causing all this grief as they have been the BC government for the past several years, although fortunately not much longer?

willy · May 4, 2004

Maplesyrup, the Campbell government has had a tough time putting this province back into working order. I own and run a business in BC and finally we are seeing investment again.

I would love to stay in this province but if Carol James the puppet for the labour movement gets into office watch the mass exit of business from this province. None of us can afford to operate under such a government.

Under the NDP we lost mining, much of the logging industry, aluminum and manufacturing. The only growth we had was tourism and movies. Tourism is mostly low paying service jobs and the movie business was subsidized. Good job NDP.

Hjalmar · May 5, 2004

This happens every time an NDP government gains power for one or two terms. It happened in Ontario and it cost Ontario taxpayers $12 billion to educate Bob Rae - he recognized his massive errors and veered course during the last year of his term. Mike Harris takes over and is saddled with the task of cleaning up the mess and, you guessed it, he becomes the "bad guy". Similar story in BC with an NDP government in power for 10 years and BC becomes a have - not province for the first time in history. Again, Gordon Campbell becomes the "bad guy". Go figure!!!!

We need to rid ourselves of the NDP in Canada forever!!!!

Boydfish · May 6, 2004

The article skips over a few key facts:

First, BC's economy isn't shrinking, it's growing. The problem is that the areas that it's growing in are "grey" and "black" market areas. The Canadian government is ripping it's hair out trying to get British Columbians to do things like pay the GST; the lack of compliance in BC for Canadian taxation is staggering. As well, marijuana is still the largest cash crop in BC. If you factored in the economic production of that industry, BC makes up the measly $135 to pass Quebec, vaults past Ontario and gets Alberta looking over it's shoulder.

Second, Quebec having 3 million more people and several billion dollars in annual aid packages from the confederation to end up at the same level as BC is literally nothing to be proud of.

Third, you're extrapolating a great deal from one aspect of the picture.

maplesyrup · May 6, 2004

Willy....why bother waiting as Carole James will be our premier next year. You and Conrad Black can enjoy each other's company elsewhere.

maplesyrup · May 6, 2004

This happens every time an NDP government gains power for one or two terms. It happened in Ontario and it cost Ontario taxpayers $12 billion to educate Bob Rae - he recognized his massive errors and veered course during the last year of his term. Mike Harris takes over and is saddled with the task of cleaning up the mess and, you guessed it, he becomes the "bad guy". Similar story in BC with an NDP government in power for 10 years and BC becomes a have - not province for the first time in history. Again, Gordon Campbell becomes the "bad guy". Go figure!!!!
We need to rid ourselves of the NDP in Canada forever!!!!

Maybe we just need to rid Canada of its right wing American puppets, rip up a few trade agreements, and have Canadians, with the assistance of our credit union movement, start controlling and developing our resources ourselves.