Leaders of B.C.’s three main political parties clash on pandemic response, recovery

NDP Leader John Horgan’s decision to call an election during a pandemic and the B.C. Liberal promise to cut the provincial sales tax were the focus of attacks during a televised debate on Tuesday night.

But there were also clashes on pipelines, big energy projects, homelessness and who has the best plan to restore economic confidence after the COVID-19 pandemic as they campaign for the Oct. 24 provincial election.

Green Leader Sonia Furstenau criticized the other two parties for failing to support the transition to clean energy, accusing them of “propping up” big energy projects with billions in taxpayers’ money.

NDP Leader John Horgan attempted to tie the number of outbreaks in long-term care homes during the pandemic to the Liberals decision to cut 10,000 jobs in health care almost 20 years ago to support a tax break for high-income earners.

Horgan says that decision had “profound and tragic” consequences for senior citizens living in care homes during the pandemic.

But Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson said Horgan is focusing on decisions made long ago, arguing his party built 14 hospitals when it was in power and the NDP has built none during its first three years in office.

He also told Horgan the NDP has failed to get a hospital built in fast-growing Surrey.

Horgan said the reason a hospital hasn’t been built is because the Liberals sold land slated for it.

“You sold the land, man,” he said directly to Wilkinson.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 13, 2020.

You can rewatch the debate here.

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