VICTORIA – The premier says we’ll just have to wait for jobs following more than two years of negative job growth since her so-called “jobs plan” was announced. That isn’t good enough, say the New Democrats

“Since the premier launched her jobs plan, she’s wasted millions of taxpayer dollars in ads telling us how great it is, but the truth is we’ve been going in the opposite direction,” said New Democrat finance critic Mike Farnworth. “She should be answering tough questions about why her plan is an utter failure, but to say we’ll just have to wait a little longer isn’t good enough.”

Following questions this week about dismal job numbers since the plan was launched in September 2011, the premier said, “We haven’t seen all the fruits of our labours yet but we will. I hope, in 2014.”

Premier Clark continued, “It’s just not the kind of thing that’s going to happen overnight.”

Farnworth said the premier’s attempt to belittle the length of time since the plan was launched by claiming results don’t happen overnight is absurd.

“It has been more than two years since the premier launched her plan targeted specifically at job growth in the private sector,” said Farnworth. “Since that time, the province has seen a net loss of 6,700 private sector jobs.

“That’s the worst record of all the provinces,” said New Democrat labour and jobs critic Harry Bains, adding that this month alone B.C. lost a total of 8,200 jobs.

Bains said New Democrats support moving forward with a new LNG industry, but noted no final investment decisions have been made. “Not only is LNG years away, Premier Clark has admitted the earliest the first plant might be built is now a year later than she previously announced.

“In the meantime, this Liberal government has turned their backs on every other industry. They’ve abandoned the film industry at a time when it’s struggling, they don’t have a plan for forest dependent communities who are losing their mills, and they refuse to ensure the new ferry fleet is built on B.C. shores by B.C. workers,” said Bains.

“British Columbians need real jobs and an economy that works, not more hyperbole and delays from this government.”