Nanaimo’s second debate drew all the candidates to one place to discuss a range of election issues.
The Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce hosted an all-candidates meeting on Tuesday at the Beban Park social centre.
Leonard Krog, B.C. NDP incumbent, and challengers Paris Gaudet of the B.C. Liberals, Kathleen Harris of the Green Party and Bill Walker of the Libertarians debated the economy, health care, ferries and other topics for an hour and 20 minutes in front of nearly 300 people.
The debate was moderated by Carrie Chassels, executive director of student affairs at Vancouver Island University, and her first question pertained to economic security on the Island.
Gaudet said Nanaimo needs the type of jobs that will keep young people in town.
“When we don’t have opportunities, we lose our brightest people to other communities and we’re seeing that,” she said. “Nanaimo should be a mecca for business. We have an attractive lifestyle and we need to capitalize on these opportunities, because if we don’t evolve, we’re going to continue to miss out on what we have here.”
Krog said increasing minimum wage and social assistance allow more people to spend more money locally. He also pointed to an NDP plank that incorporates affordable housing and job creation, “building the social housing and other housing that my party’s talked about in its plan for 114,000 housing units over the next 10 years,” he said.
Harris suggested there’s too much disparity and she envisions an economy that better maximizes everyone’s potential.
“I’m very much about promoting local business, the talent and ability of our local people…” she said. “That includes things like stopping the raw lumber exports, developing the infrastructure that supports our farm-based communities and really supporting people to be part of this change that we’re calling for.”
Walker pointed to the relationship between the economy and taxation.
“Governments need to make sure that there’s more money in people’s pockets so that they can provide for their own economic security and provide for their families,” he said.
Asked about B.C. Ferries, all four candidates offered differing views on the corporation. Krog suggested that whatever revenues the government gained by upping ferry fares over the years has been cancelled out by a loss in economic activity in B.C. due to those rising fares.
“We’ve promised an immediate freeze on ferries, to bring it back under government control and then to look at how we can reduce rates,” he said.
Gaudet had a different vision of how to keep the ferry system “affordable and sustainable” and pointed to the B.C. Liberals’ coming loyalty program for frequent ferry users.
“The last thing we want is a freeze in ferry fares, because we would be going right back to the 1990s and the debacle with fast ferries and high taxes and debt,” she said.
Harris said the Green Party has committed to a full review of B.C. Ferries and thinks costs of the service should be spread more equitably across the province.
“We all help pay for infrastructure in the Lower Mainland and there’s no reason why the government can’t cover some of these expenses,” she said.
Walker posited that ferries are already under government control.
“It’s a private corporation, but 100 per cent of the shares are owned by the province…” he said. “I think the ferries need to be looked at seriously. I mean, let’s face it, it’s an expensive service to run.”
For an article on the first all-candidates meeting in Nanaimo on April 18, please click here.
The B.C. provincial election is May 9.
greg.sakaki@nanaimobulletin.com