THE BC NDP said that in Thursday’s debate, their party leader John Horgan challenged BC Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson to reveal his tax plan before election day.
 
It noted: “Wilkinson refused to commit to telling British Columbians what his tax plans are. Wilkinson’s platform promises to “review all provincial taxes” – but not until after the votes are counted. What is he hiding?”

According to the BC NDP, as BC Liberal Leader, Wilkinson has opposed a total of $3 billion in taxes on the wealthy and big businesses, including:

• Wilkinson and his MLAs spoke against the $1.8 billion Employer Health Tax 348 times in the legislature. 
• In 2018, Wilkinson said “I’d like to, first of all, get rid of the unnecessary NDP taxes that have been piled on this year. That starts with this Employers Health Tax.”
• In 2019, he said “asset taxes like the phony NDP school tax and the phony NDP speculation tax are going to disappear if we form government.”
• Earlier this year, Wilkinson said the BC NDP’s taxes on people making more than $220,000 would “get people to leave the province.” 

Wilkinson’s record opposing $3 billion in taxes on the wealthy and big business is available here. 

Earlier, the BC NDP in a press release asked: “Why won’t Wilkinson share his plans before the election?”

It added: “A quick flashback: Wilkinson was BC Liberal party president during the 2001 election. The BC Liberals promised not to cut taxes for the rich. But on their first full day in office, they cut the top income tax bracket by 25%. Vaughn Palmer wrote: “[Gordon Campbell] also hatcheted the top three brackets, something he never mentioned in his bid for the premier’s office… Mr. Campbell rejected the suggestion Wednesday that the Liberals had been harbouring plans all along to cut the top three tax brackets. But he was unable to cite any new information that has come his way since the election that would justify the sudden expansion in his tax-cutting intentions.” (Vancouver Sun, June 7, 2001)”

On the same day, Wilkinson was appointed as a Deputy Minister to Campbell.

The BC NDP said that as BC Liberal Leader, Wilkinson has supported $3 billion in tax breaks to the wealthy and biggest businesses:

• Employer Health Tax on biggest 15% of businesses: $1.8 billion
• The speculation and vacancy tax: $80 million
• School tax on homes over $3 million: $200 million
• Tax on top 2% of income earners: $328 million
• Tax on top 1% of income earners: $216 million
• 1% corporate income tax increase: $296 million
• Total: $2.9 billion

Wilkinson’s record opposing these taxes is available here.