NDP running out of gas.

Today's gas prices are 1.05 a litre.

We have all noticed the massive decline in gas prices over the past few months as oil prices dropped from a summer high of $147 per barrel to below $66 per barrel today. In fact we now have the lowest gas prices in BC since January.

This summer the NDP were able to score some cheap political points by capturing the public's anger with rising gas prices and attacking the BC Liberal's carbon tax. I know no one likes higher gas prices and the rapid escalation in prices earlier in the year had many motorists boiling with angry. The NDP took advantage of this and went on the offensive attacking the BC Liberals with their "Ax the Gas Tax" campaign. They did pretty well this summer; even drawing even with the BC Liberals in a number of opinion polls.

However, 4 months is an eternity in politics and with today's lower gas prices it looks like the NDP's little "ax the gas tax" campaign has quite frankly, run out of gas. Yes, they scored some cheap political points when gas prices were higher but today with the price approaching a $1 per litre; the heat in the public's anger has simply evaporated.

To be quite honest, the NDP's little campaign was completely disingenuous. The BC Liberals have the most progressive plan for climate change in the country with legislated targets, a price on pollution, and a framework for “cap-and-trade” to further reduce industrial pollution. The BC Liberal plan has been praised from a variety of sources, including Canada's leading environmentalist David Suzuki, former US President Bill Clinton, California Governor Arnold Swartzenegger and the left wing think tank the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

While the BC Liberals are reaping praise for their carbon tax, the NDP are planning to go after the big polluters with increased taxes. You know, that's Carol James and the NDP's code words for taxing the rich.

However the NDP should spend a little more time thinking about the issues rather than spewing rhetoric! Don't be fooled by the NDP's hidden taxes - taxing bigger polluters will just add addition costs to consumers. In the end you'll just pay more. Tell me, who of any standing supports the NDP's dishonest attacks on the BC Liberal's action plan on climate change?

Thankfully no one.