THE BC United Party said on Wednesday that at a time when people in B.C. are facing a cost-of-living crisis, Premier David Eby has been exposed for giving NDP political staff 17-per-cent raises over the last five months and hiding it from the public.

“British Columbians deserve a government that puts their needs first, but it’s clear that David Eby is more interested in looking after his friends and insiders than addressing the challenges people in B.C. are facing every day,” said BC United Leader Kevin Falcon. “Instead of focusing on lowering the cost of gas, David Eby has been focused on handing out these massive and undeserved pay raises for his partisan political staff that surpass those given to essential workers like nurses and teachers. How can Eby justify these partisan pay hikes — with no accountability and transparency — as British Columbians struggle to pay rent, buy gas, and put food on the table for their families?”

The BC United said that as reported in The Orca, around 20 chiefs of staff to NDP ministers received pay hikes of up to $17,129 (equivalent to a 17 per cent raise) within a span of five months — all approved by Premier Eby’s office. Currently, there is an estimated staff of 140 individuals working within the offices of NDP ministers, with the salary budget exceeding its 2017 amount by $10.5 million.

“Once again, we see David Eby and the NDP padding their pockets with tax dollars and looking after their friends while British Columbians pay the price,” said Peter Milobar, BC United Critic for Finance. “The very fact that Eby and his team hid these raises from the public shows they knew it would rightly upset British Columbians. I can’t grasp why the premier thinks this is okay, considering the daily challenges people in B.C. are facing. These problems have escalated to a crisis level during the NDP’s time in charge and I’m sure most British Columbians will find this completely unfair.”