After weeks of speculation, election season has officially arrived.
Victoria Liberal Nikki Macdonald was one of many Island candidates to already hit the campaign trail, meeting voters today in Cook Street Village.
“Victoria needs a voice in the governing caucus,” said Macdonald, who was joined by a group of volunteers wearing all red. “Somebody who can be there on the decision making table to really ensure Victoria gets the support we need to recover from the pandemic.”
Meanwhile, a few kilometres away, Victoria incumbent NDP MP Laurel Collins began her day canvassing the James Bay neighborhood.
“We are committed to supporting Canadians, but also making sure that the wealthiest are paying their fair share,” said Collins, while installing NDP signage on Montreal Street alongside a group of NDP supporters. “We want to make sure that we are building a recovery that’s working for everyone, not just the people at the very, very top.”
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In Langford, Conservative candidate Alana Delong spent her Sunday going door to door.
“I’m out asking them what their concerns are,” said Delong, candidate for Cowichan-Malahat-Langford. “I do believe that elections are not about parties, elections are about the constituents and this is very much an election about the constituents and what’s affecting them.”
Over in the mid-Island, Nanaimo-Ladysmith incumbent, Green MP Paul Manly released a video showing him hammering and drilling in his own signage, in what’s expected to be a tightly contested riding.
Back down south, his fellow Green Party member Elizabeth May was joined by a group of Green party volunteers holding signs and waiving to oncoming traffic at the McKenzie Avenue and Shelbourne Street intersection in Saanich.
“There’s a lot going on right now and I think this is a very reckless thing to call an election now in a fourth wave and in a climate emergency when B.C. is on fire,” said the Saanich-Gulf Islands MP.
Of the seven Vancouver Island ridings, five are currently NDP with Greens holding the remaining two.
“Vancouver Island right now looks very much like a battle between the NDP and the Greens, with the question being does the Green party implosion cost them their two island seats in Nanaimo-Ladysmith, Saanich-Gulf Islands,” said CHEK News political correspondent Rob Shaw. “If it does, can the NDP slide in, take those ridings and sweep the Island orange.”
Expect more signage and perhaps a knock on your door as the campaign trail has just begun. The federal election is slated for Sept. 20.
Kevin Charach
