In another post-election shocker, B.C. Liberal finance minister Colin Hansen has admitted that his budget forecast was shot prior to the May 12 election.

The National Post today reports:

“The Finance Minister now concedes his original forecast of a 0.9% contraction ‘held up until late April.’

“That is interesting, because the provincial election was held May 12, and his projections had not changed.

“’It was only as we got into May and June that the forecasters started to diminish their numbers for 2009,’” Mr. Hansen now acknowledges. But British Columbians weren't told about that, until a week ago.”

– National Post, Aug. 25, 2009

Throughout the election, the B.C. Liberals claimed their deficit projection of $495 million was solid. Even after the election, the deception continued.

“If I were in a position to table a budget today it would be a deficit of $495 million or less… I am still confident that come Sept. 1 we will be able to deliver on that.” 

-Colin Hansen, Vancouver Sun, June 11, 2009

Today’s admission by Hansen that his forecast had tanked prior to May is another staggering blow to B.C. Liberal credibility.

Throughout the entire budget mess, the B.C. Liberals deliberately ignored all the warning signs. In February leading economist Helmut Pastrick predicted a much larger deficit, but the Liberals dismissed him as “pessimistic”. And they accused Carole James of “fear mongering” every time the New Democrats warned that B.C. Liberal revenue projections were out of touch with reality.