"It's time to end insider corruption under Gordon Campbell"

Carole James vows concrete measures to ensure integrity

North Vancouver - Carole James vowed to end BC Rail-style corruption with tough new laws to regulate lobbying and conflicts of interest.

"Gordon Campbell paid his top advisor Patrick Kinsella $300,000 to help sell off BC Rail in a deal tainted by corruption," James said today at the North Vancouver BC Rail yards.

"More than five years after the unprecedented police raid on the legislature, Campbell still refuses to answer questions about the largest political scandal in BC history," she said.

"Campbell has gone too far in rewarding friends and insiders. The NDP will clean up government and bring in tough rules to make sure that friends and insiders don't benefit from the sell-off of our public resources," said James.

She noted that in 2001, Gordon Campbell promised he wouldn't sell BC Rail.

"He broke that promise, and handed a public asset worth a billion dollars to his political friends and donors. The NDP will put an end to that," said James.

The NDP will strengthen conflict of interest legislation, close loopholes in the Lobbyist Registration Act, introduce tough new rules to restrict lobbyist influence over decision-makers and institute campaign finance reform to ensure that the public interest comes first. Carole James and the NDP are committed to a full public inquiry on BC Rail.

"If he's re-elected, Gordon Campbell will continue to give away our public resources and services to the benefit of his friends," said James.

"Together, we can stop him. Together, we can take back your BC."