New Democratic Party Leader Adrian Dix criticized Premier Christy Clark for manipulating employment figures this morning for political purposes.

"This is the problem when you have a communications exercise that's dressed up as a jobs plan," Dix said. "It isn't that the premier isn't a good communicator, but that what she's communicating is not consistent with the facts."

During a visit to Vancouver Shipyards, Clark released a 36-page six-month progress report on the Jobs Plan she announced in September, 2011, highlighting that B.C. gained 39,900 jobs between February 2011 and February 2012.

However, as The Tyee reported, Statistics Canada figures compiled by BC Stats show 37,900 of those jobs had already been gained by the time Clark made her announcement in September, and only 2,000 since, using seasonally adjusted figures.

Without seasonally adjusting the figures, employment dropped by 33,400 between September, 2011, and February, 2012.

Dix said Clark was exaggerating the effect of the jobs plan. "You take a point and try to create an illusion that doesn't exist," he said. "I would suggest to the premier, fewer photo-ops more substance."

Andrew MacLeod is The Tyee’s Legislative Bureau Chief in Victoria. Find him on Twitter or reach him here.