VICTORIA – The B.C. Liberals ended the 2007 Spring Session of the Legislature today by imposing closure on the debate of important bills, an ending which New Democrat Leader Carole James says is in character with the Campbell Liberal stonewalling and coverup tactics that were repeated throughout this session.

“Our New Democrat Opposition team put Gordon Campbell and his arrogant government on the run from hard questions about political dirty tricks, favours to B.C. Liberal friends and insiders, deteriorating health care services for British Columbians, and danger and disregard for people who don’t support Gordon Campbell,” James said today.

“The Campbell Liberals have been able to shut down the Legislature, but nothing will stop us from asking the tough questions and continuing to speak for hard-working British Columbians who are being left behind by the Campbell Liberals, regardless of whether or not we have a fall session,” she said.

“This spring, the government hid behind the courts, they organized investigations designed to delay and obscure the facts, and now they are using closure to halt debate and questions in the legislature to halt debate,” said James.

“In this session, we stood up for farm workers, exposing the ongoing chaos in the health care system, raised questions about dirty tricks emanating from the Premier’s office, and this week we led the call for accountability in the lottery winnings scandal at the B.C. Lottery Corporation. The Campbell Liberals picked up New Democrat ideas on climate change and adopted our proposals on payday loan regulation, among other things.

“But we await action on our other policies, like increasing the minimum wage to $10 and restoring real accountability and transparency to government. The New Democrat caucus has served notice on the Campbell government that they are facing a vigilant and united Opposition,” James said.