VICTORIA – At time when the B.C. Liberals should be focused on every opportunity to revitalize our province’s economy, their latest move to hand over B.C. camping reservation services to Ontario will take away B.C. jobs and dollars, said the New Democrats in Question Period today. Spencer Herbert

 According to the Discovercamping.ca website, B.C. Parks is handing over Discover camping reservations services for B.C. Provincial parks to CAMIS Inc., a private company located in Guelph, Ontario that also services the U.S.

 “At a time when we should be looking at creating jobs in B.C. and focused on every opportunity to invest in our own economy, it makes no economic sense to contract out work that can and has been done in B.C.,” said New Democrat tourism critic Spencer Herbert.

 B.C. Liberal Tourism Minister Kevin Krueger refused to stand up for his constituents in Question Period when asked why his government would move call centre operations to Ontario when hundreds of people are losing their jobs at a call centre in Kamloops.

 “B.C. has proven quite capable of providing effective call centre operations within the province,” said New Democrat Cariboo North MLA Bob Simpson .”Convergys, a call centre in Kamloops since 2000, employed 1,200 B.C. jobs at one point. They’re now slated to close at the end of April. Bob Simpson

 “In this time of economic uncertainty for British Columbians the B.C. Liberal’s decision to contract out valuable jobs to Ontario is fiscally irresponsible. B.C. jobs should stay in B.C.”

 According to Discovercamping.ca, beginning April 1st B.C.Parks reservations will be made through CAMIS Inc. for the 2010 season. A reservation service fee up to $18 plus tax per night is noted as covering operational and reservation service costs. In addition to the reservation fee, a service fee of five dollars plus tax is applied to transactions completed by the call centre.

 Under the B.C. Liberals, B.C. has had the worst rate of full-time job losses and the second-worst performing economy in the country.

 To hear a pre-recorded message on the new reservation service call 1-800-689-9025 and press #1, or go to www.discovercamping.ca.  

Spencer Chandra Herbert

Vancouver-West End

Spencer Chandra Herbert was elected MLA for Vancouver-West End on May 12, 2009. He served as MLA for Vancouver – Burrard from Oct.