An affordable, livable Nanaimo is a high priority for the New Democratic Party of British Columbia.
John Horgan, leader of the New Democrats, made the comments during a campaign stop at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre in Nanaimo Friday afternoon.
Horgan told a room filled with dozens of supporters that the NDP is committed to eliminating Medical Service Premium payments, addressing out-of-control ferry fares, auto insurance and hydro rates, and making life more livable for Nanaimo residents.
“Making life more affordable for people in Nanaimo is a high priority and making sure we get to the bottom of the mess of B.C. Ferries, a critical industry here in Nanaimo,” he said. “We’re going to roll back the rates by 15 per cent on minor routes and we’re going to make sure that we get to the bottom of how it got so out of control.”
Horgan said the NDP will make significant investments in schools, hospitals, infrastructure and young families, which has been lacking for decades under the B.C. Liberals.
“Wherever I bring up the issues that people are talking about, that people want to focus on, the B.C. Liberals say this is as good as it gets and that we can’t do any better until sometime in the future,” he said. “I say … we can do better and we will do better.”
Horgan also touched on the issue of vote splitting. He said the NDP is in the best position to defeat the B.C. Liberals and that voting for the B.C. Green Party won’t ensure a Liberal defeat.
“I think that we can all agree that we can’t afford four more years of Christy Clark,” he said.
Horgan later told the News Bulletin his party’s $10-billion capital plan means investments in schools and hospitals across Vancouver Island.
“We are going to focus and make sure the issues that are important to us as Islanders are addressed,” he said.
However, Horgan said Nanaimoites would have to wait until he’s elected in order for his party to identify specific investments they’d like to make in the Harbour City.
“We are going to sit down with the representatives in the community and the MLAs that are elected on May 9 and talk about where we can build and what the most important pressing issues are,” he said. “I couldn’t point to a specific project today, but we are going to have a significant capital budget and we are going to focus on building in this city.”
The NDP will stick with their plan to raise corporate income tax rates by one per cent as it will put them “in line” with Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, said Horgan.
“The other tax measures we are looking at is rolling back the tax cuts that Christy Clark gave to the wealthiest people in B.C.,” he said.
Horgan said he isn’t worried about potentially lower corporate tax rates in the U.S., something President Donald Trump has said he would like to see happen in his country.
“Mr. Trump has been in power for 100 days and I don’t believe he has actually accomplished anything in that time. I am more concerned about our competitiveness with our jurisdictions in Canada and I believe our proposals are consistent with those,” he said.
Horgan said the NDP would consider adjustments to rates down the road, but is more concerned about getting a fair deal in the softwood lumber dispute.
“We need a deal that protects forest workers and forest jobs,” he said.
Green Party leader Andrew Weaver made a sudden appearance outside the conference centre after the event, where he told reporters that his party isn’t worried about the New Democrats as their focus is on “inspiring” British Columbians. He said the party is not wasting its time with negative advertising campaigns.
“We are trying to inspire people of British Columbia for a change they count on and offer them a fresh vision, not one that is based on fear but one that is based on hope,” he said.
Weaver said Kathleen Harris, Green Party candidate in the Nanaimo riding, will bring her knowledge of the health-care system to government, which would be beneficial to Nanaimoites.
He said he won’t tell British Columbians how to vote, but believes everyone should vote and that the Green Party offers a better vision than other political parties.
“I am not going to tell Nanaimo who to vote for,” he said. “I think Nanaimo should check out the candidates and platform. I think they should vote for the person they think would best represent them. I think the B.C. Greens offer them vision, but we are not going to tell them.”