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Ferry credit floated as B.C. embarks on election campaign

The Liberals released an Island-specific platform a day before the writ dropped Tuesday (April 11)
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A noteworthy item in B.C. Liberals’ platform is a tax credit of up to 25 per cent for residents who live in ferry-dependent communities and spend $1,000 annually on ferry fares. (File photo)

The B.C. election campaign is underway and Nanaimo candidates have started debating the issues.

The B.C. Liberals got a jump on things, releasing a Vancouver Island-specific platform Monday, a day before the writ dropped.

“With this platform, all candidates on Vancouver Island worked together to bring issues and opportunities that really represent our community,” said Paris Gaudet, candidate for the B.C. Liberals in the Nanaimo riding.

A noteworthy item in the platform is a limited tax credit for 25 per cent of ferry fares for residents who live in ferry-dependent communities.

“I think that’s something all candidates on Vancouver Island really championed for coastal communities,” Gaudet said. “It was really around trying to figure out an innovative way in which we can give some support to people thatuse B.C. Ferries.”

She noted that the tax credit would also apply to passenger-ferry fares if that service were to begin operations.

Other aspects of the Liberals’ Island platform Gaudet lauded were two new tax credits for seniors, including a respite tax credit she said “will help families and those caring for the people that they love, so that we’re able to really improve the quality of care for everyone.”

Job creation is a theme for the Liberals’ overall campaign platform and Gaudet said key components for Nanaimo are support for the tourism industry, including a hiking tourism plan, and working with the Snuneymuxw on economic sustainability and growth.

Leonard Krog, the NDP incumbent in Nanaimo, said the premier and the B.C. Liberals “have ignored Vancouver Island for years” and likened the Liberals’ Island platform to the notion that Columbus discovered the Americas.

“Well guess what? The aboriginal peoples already knew they were here. So for the Liberals to pretend they’ve discovered Vancouver Island, I think, is a pretty silly concept,” Krog said. “No one believes that they’re going to really make lives better for Vancouver Islanders with this grab bag of election goodies.”

He said the ferries tax credit doesn’t do any good for people who aren’t paying income taxes in the first place.

“It’s not helping the poorest of the poor, it’s not helping seniors on fixed, low incomes,” Krog said. “It is pathetic political pandering to a population that has never been on their radar.”

The NDP will announce its overall platform on Thursday (April 13).

The writ dropped Tuesday, officially beginning a four-week campaign leading up to the May 9 election.

“No politician ever says they’re totally ready for a campaign, but the campaign is working hard, we’re anxious to get on with this campaign and I’m excited to be running again,” Krog said.

Gaudet suggested that without an MLA in government, “Nanaimo’s voice has been silent for a long time because there hasn’t been the strong representation in our community.”

She said her local campaign is in full election mode.

“We’ve been planning for several months now, a strong team, a really strong platform, a Vancouver Island platform … we’re ready,” she said. “We’re ready to win this, and full steam ahead.”

Kathleen Harris is the B.C. Green Party candidate for Nanaimo.

Areas of the city fall into two other ridings. Parts of the north end are encompassed by Parksville-Qualicum, held by incumbent Liberal MLA Michelle Stilwell. Other candidates include Sue Powell of the B.C. NDP and Glenn Sollitt of the Greens.

In the Nanaimo-North Cowichan riding, Doug Routley is the NDP incumbent, challenged by Alana DeLong of the B.C. Liberals and Lia Versaevel of the Greens.

greg.sakaki@nanaimobulletin.com