Leaders bare party plans
Analysis
With the provincial election barely two weeks away, party leaders faced off in the first debate on CKNW Radio, October 2.
The NDP’ s David Eby accused his opponent John Rustad of the Conservatives of not answering questions about whether it’s acceptable that one of his candidate is claiming vaccines cause AIDS.
“Rustad confirmed his bizarre and dangerous plan to tell police not to enforce bans on illegal semi-automatic weapons and handguns. This would make our streets less safe,” Eby argued.
Rustad said his party would “go after the source” of gun and gang violence by preventing weapons from entering B.C. through its ports.
On affordability, Eby said cost-of-living issues had been “challenging” for households and that the NDP’s proposed middle-class tax cut was aimed at driving down costs.
Rustad agreed that affordability was the top issue in the campaign, and asked “why suddenly now” was Eby talking about tax cuts, while Furstenau said it was “fascinating” that neither Eby nor Rustad wanted to talk about the factors that drove unaffordability in the province, including “financialized” housing and a “backwards-looking” fossil fuel industry.
The next debate which would be televised is on October 8.
There is only Filipino-Canadian candidate in this election – NDP Mable Elmore who is running for a 5th term. After 15 years in the legislature Elmore says is still passionate.
“I continue to be passionate about working to help people and also protecting public services and healthcare. I’m still motivated and looking forward to seeking another term.”
Another aspirant, Noemi Victorino, lost her bid when her party, BC United (formerly BC Liberals) abandoned their plans and joined with the Conservatives. It was the Conservatives who laid-off thousands of Filipino healthcare workers during their term by tearing their contracts. It took the NDP government several years to restore the workers to their original contracts.
The NDP and the Conservatives are running neck and neck according to polling results.
The election is on October 19 with advanced voting starting on October 10.