Recent provincial political polls have obviously spurred a lot of interesting discussions among the B.C. electorate.

Many of us find it hard to believe that the NDP who were nearly wiped off the map back in 2001 are now increasingly looking like they may form government in May of 2013. In my mind this begs a closer look at their policies and political agenda.

I've been listening closely to Mr. Dix and his colleagues, in recent interviews on CKNW for instance, and have shaken my head at their seeming inability to cost out their suggested initiatives.

Take the provincial environmental review the NDP is suggesting, as an example. When asked how much this would cost us as tax payers, the critic dodged the question. They either know the answer is "a lot of money" and don't want to say it, or they are trotting out half-baked policies before they do the background work to determine cost.

A B.C. newspaper publisher, who shall go un-named at this point, asked Adrian Dix in a private interview what his party would do to attract business to B.C. I was told Mr. Dix couldn't answer the question.

Here's a news flash for Mr. Di businesses create and support sustainable jobs, not governments. In order to keep our workforce employed in good paying, family supporting jobs, we HAVE to attract business investment to our province.

Governments can help create the environment that fosters a climate for economic growth. I'm still waiting to hear how an NDP government would actually do that. Oh, and "We're going to tax the rich" (as one Abbotsford NDP organizer told me, when I asked them how they would govern the province) is not going to create a single job. Quite the opposite, I would suggest.

Now in regards to the two free enterprise political parties in the province, I say this: as a Chamber we have always been, and will continue to be, non-partisan.

However, for the sake of our membership, and indeed the province, I sincerely hope we begin to see the emergence of a single entity that will represent the centre-right portion of voters.

Otherwise we may end up with another decade of lost economic opportunities like we had in the 1990s.

I encourage all of you to get into conversations with your local candidates, your neighbours, and community groups to determine the best voting choices for Abbotsford in May 2013.