VICTORIA—New Democrat Opposition Leader Carole James blasted the Campbell Liberals for abandoning injured workers in Question Period yesterday.

"Every day in British Columbia, workers are injured on the job," said James. "And when workers are injured, British Columbians expect them to be fairly compensated. But that’s not happening. WorkSafe B.C. has restricted compensation to injured workers, allowing them to enjoy a net fund surplus of almost a billion dollars.

"The Campbell government lets WorkSafe sit on this huge surplus while denying loss-of-earning benefits to workers who have been injured on the job. And that’s wrong."

NDP Labour critic Chuck Puchmayr noted that WorkSafe BC surpluses have increased steadily since the Campbell government stripped away pensions and benefits from injured workers in 2003.

"The billion-dollar surplus at WorkSafe is not all due to an increase in investment," said Puchmayr. "It stems from the B.C. Liberal government's heartless cuts to benefits and pensions for working people. WorkSafe should be there to help workers, not to help build a surplus.

"I hear from injured workers daily. They're having extreme difficulty in rehabilitation and getting back into the workforce. When will the B.C. Liberals admit that racking up such huge surpluses off the backs of injured workers is wrong?" asked Puchmayr.