B.C. Liberals launch ‘Spend-o-Meter’ to tally cost of NDP campaign promises

Why let the truth get in the way of a good campaign ploy?

The B.C. Liberals have a launched a clever — although not completely accurate — 'Spend-o-Meter' which tallies how much the NDP campaign promises will cost taxpayers.

In a press release accompanying the launch of the campaign gimmick, Finance Minister Mike de Jong said the NDP are "speeding towards a fiscal cliff."

"One week into the campaign and all we've seen from Adrian Dix is how fast he can spend your money," de Jong said.

"And while the money is being spent very quickly, the NDP refuse to say how they'll pay for it all or even provide any details. They think it's their money, when it's really taxpayers' money."

[ Related: B.C. politician unintentionally directs public to teen porn website ]

De Jong's statement, however, is a peculiar one: On April 12, the NDP released their fiscal plan explaining how they would raise $2 billion over 3 years in government revenues and, since then, have meticulously costed all their promises. At the end of the day on Sunday, according to the NDP, the party has pledged $202 million in 2013-14, $550 million in 2014-15, and $679 million in 2015-16.

A frustrated NDP source told Yahoo! Canada News that this was a typical Liberal attack and that the governing party was willing to say anything without getting their facts right.

[ Related: B.C. NDP leader Adrian Dix running a 'we'll see' campaign ]

On Sunday afternoon, Surrey MLA Bruce Ralston called the Spend-o-Meter "old style politics."

"The Liberals talk about debt yet they're going to increase the debt by 50 per cent in 5 years, the biggest increase in the history of British Columbia...I think it's important that Mr. de Jong be accountable for his record," Ralston said during a press conference.

"We have set out a fiscal plan where we showed the source of revenue for every spending commitment that we're making.

"I think [the Spend-o-Meter is] a pretty lame gimmick."

In addition to the YouTube video, the Liberals have posted their spend-o-meters on electronic billboards. A B.C. Liberal spokesperson told Yahoo! that they will continue to update it, as needed, up until the May 14th election.

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