NDP Says Failed Candidate Given Patronage Job Of Handing Out Patronage Appointments To Other Failed BC Liberals

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VICTORIA— New Democrats says theyhave uncovered documents showing thatthe failed B.C. Liberal candidate for PortCoquitlam, Barbara Lu, was hired by theB.C. Liberal government to help handout patronage appointments, many ofwhich have gone to other failed B.C.Liberal candidates.“The B.C. Liberals are ripping off thetaxpayers with their ‘failures first’ jobsprogram that abandons merit in favourof finding soft landings for failed B.C.Liberal candidates,” said New Democratfinance critic Mike Farnworth. “Theprocess for making public appointmentsis supposed to be transparent and consistent.The only thing that’s transparentand consistent is the B.C. Liberal’s abandonmentof merit in favour of appointingfailed candidates, friends and politicalinsiders.”As a Human Resources Analyst for theBoard Resourcing and DevelopingOffice, Ms. Lu’s duties involves helpingwith the “recruitment and selection ofindividuals who serve on the Province’sboards, agencies and commissions.”Since she was hired by Premier Clarkstaffer Athana Mentzelopoulos, the followingfailed B.C. Liberal candidates andfriends have been given patronageappointments by the B.C. Liberals:• Ken Kramer, failed B.C. Liberal candidatefor Burnaby-Lougheed, wasappointed to the Emergency MedicalAssistant Licensing Board• Steve Kim, failed B.C. Liberal candidatefor Coquitlam-Maillardville, was appointedto the Multicultural Advisory Council.• Ida Chong, failed B.C. Liberal candidatefor Oak Bay-Gordon Head, was appointedto the University of Victoria Board ofGovernors• Kenneth Fung, who called into a radiostation under a fake name during theelection to spread malicious rumoursabout a B.C. New Democrat candidate,was appointed to the University of B.C.board of governors.In addition to theseappointments the B.C. Liberal government’s‘failures first’ job program hasresulted in government jobs for nineother failed B.C. Liberal candidates, notincluding those who worked for the B.C.Liberal government before the election.