BC ELECTION 2024: Meet the four Prince George-North Cariboo candidates

The Municipal Election will be held on Saturday, October 19th.

MyPGNow reached out to each candidate running to become the MLA in the Prince George-North Cariboo riding for their response to the following four questions:

1. Tell us about yourself?
2. What do you think is the most important issue for the area and why?
3. Why should someone vote for you?
4. Are there any final thoughts on any topic that you would like to share?

IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER (Last Name):

Denice Bardua: 

My name is Denice Bardua, and I’m running as the BC NDP candidate for Prince George – North Cariboo this election. I work in education, helping the next generation of British Columbians enter the world as active and engaged citizens. I’m also an engaged member of the Bouchie Lake community and an active member of my union.

Denice Bardua’s website can be found here.

Sheldon Clare:

Sheldon Clare was born in Prince George to Hilliard and Helen Clare. He is the eldest of four children with sister Karen, and brothers Kevin, and Bryan.

Sheldon graduated from UBC (Vancouver) with a B.A. in International Relations, and cum laude from Norwich University (Vermont) with a Master of Arts degree in military history. He has taught English at the College of New Caledonia since 1993, and also history from 2010. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Sheldon served as faculty contract negotiator for 12 years and 6 terms as chair of the provincial Bargaining Co-ordination Committee. He was also a member of the CNC Board from 2014-2016. He was a reserve army officer instructing cadets from 1981-1987, and served on the supplementary reserve until 2010, retiring with the rank of captain. For twelve years, Sheldon was president of Canada’s National Firearms Association. Sheldon has worked as a retail hardware clerk, tree planter, a roofer, painter, and in pulp mill shutdowns. He was also a relief worker at Camp Trapping in the youth criminal justice system. Sheldon played a significant role in lobbying for the establish of an army reserve company in Prince George. Sheldon is also a BC Hunter Safety CORE instructor and examiner.

Sheldon served two terms as the Branch 43 Royal Canadian Legion’s president, and is currently branch chairman. He is also a past president and a centre-fire rifle director of the PG Rod and Gun Club. Sheldon is also past three-term chair of the Prince George Section of the Alpine Club of Canada. He organized the Northern Hardware Canoe Race from 2015-2019. He enjoys skiing and hunting. Sheldon has two adult daughters, Elise and Danielle.

Sheldon Clare’s website can be found here.

Coralee Oakes:

I was elected MLA for Cariboo North in 2013, 2017, and again in 2020. In government, I served as the Minister responsible for Small Business and Reducing Red Tape, and the Minister of Community, Sport and, Cultural Development.

In opposition I served as Shadow Minister for Post Secondary Education; Shadow Minister for Emergency Management & Climate Readiness and Small Business. I also served as caucus chair and sat on many select standing committees including finance, children and youth and agriculture.

Prior to becoming an MLA I was a two-term Quesnel City Councillor and served as the Executive Director of the Quesnel and District Chamber of Commerce for 14 years and served on many Provincial and local boards.

Coralee Oakes’ legislative profile can be found here.

Randy Thompson:

I grew up in Richmond with a forest in my backyard, on some of the best soil in the world.

I’ve always been a green-thinking person and have been the Northern Councillor for the BC Green Party for the last two years.

I spent years working as a chef, I moved into Radio Broadcasting, then Film and TV as an actor and background performer and, then solidified my love for garlic by farming it.

I developed a line of honey garlic hot sauces and seasonings and have been growing garlic for 30 years. Our farm life started in Langley and we moved to Quesnel in 2006. We are the Oddball Garlic Co.

Due to weather-related crop failures, I was forced to get my Class 1 license and drove truck for Arrow Transport for 10 years.

I currently work full-time for the City of Quesnel. I now write about the desperate need for forestry reform.

Randy Thompson’s website can be found here.

2. What do you think is the most important issue for the area and why?

Denice Bardua

There are many important issues, but the cost of living comes up time and again on the doorsteps. Global inflation and high interest rates make it tough to get ahead. That’s why we’re taking action – cutting ICBC rates by $500 and then freezing them, more than doubling BC Family Benefit, cutting childcare costs in half, and eliminating MSP premiums. If elected, we’ll deliver an immediate $1000 tax cut for the average family because we know people need that help now, not in five years time like John Rustad thinks.

Healthcare is another big one – it should always be there when you need it, and we need our emergency rooms open. That’s why we’re taking action to train and hire more doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers than ever before – with a special focus on rural communities experiencing shortages. We’re also ensuring that everyone who wants one is connected to a family doctor or nurse practitioner by the end of next year. John Rustad’s cuts and his plans for American-style healthcare would mean firing doctors and nurses and would make things far worse.

Housing affordability is also a top priority. I remember when it used to be a big city problem, but now it’s province-wide. Everyone should be able to afford a home and build a good life here. That’s why we’re creating 300,000 new middle-class homes, taking on speculators, breaking down barriers to construction, and making it easier to build and rent secondary/basement suites. John Rustad would cancel our progress and the hundreds of thousands of new homes on the way – we can’t afford that.

Sheldon Clare:

Issues include ailing infrastructure, a crumbling health care system, and decreasing economic opportunities, all of which are contributing to the addiction crisis and crime. Building the North-South Interconnector is a major priority for me, and I will work to carve out the funding to get it done. Getting people working will improve many aspects of our problems. A key point that will help is reducing delays in the permitting process for resource extraction and fibre supply, while still respecting environmental and local concerns. There also needs to be much more concern about agriculture and food security. Access to crown land for all British Columbians is what makes our region attractive. Ideologically-based deficit spending needs to be curtailed.

Hiring back fired health care workers, and repealing Bill 36 would improve our health care system. However, creating spaces for long term forensic psychiatric patients would free up a lot of pressure on community health and get health care focused on surgeries and basic services. Educating and recruiting doctors and nurses will happen when students once again see that these professions are valued and safe. Medical facilities are of no use without staff.

Building economic opportunities for Indigenous people is important. Part of that is cultivating a culture of honesty, and mutually respectful relationships. Virtue signaling has proven to be divisive and is not helping sincere reconciliation. The key is to find common ground between all communities whether native of not, and build those relationships upon common interests. Where there are conflicts, it is important to face them directly rather than engage in avoidance.

The carbon tax is destructive to economic prosperity. It is more useful to adapt to a changing environment than pretending that we can prevent the climate from changing by taxing people into poverty.

My strong voice within a larger Conservative team will get these jobs done.

Coralee Oakes:

Make life more affordable by cutting carbon tax & red tape. Evaluate how we can more efficiently operate government and ensure access in rural communities.

Better access to health care. Listen to our doctors, nurses and allied health care professionals on how to address local needs. They need a seat at the decision making table. We need to focus on retention and ways to incentivize long-term commitment to community. We need enhanced access to local training and focus on how we can reduce barriers so people of all ages and all abilities can reach their fullest potential. We need targeted training funding to open up seats tied to community workforce needs.

Investment in natural resources & jobs that support families and communities. Permitting wait times needs to be addressed and we need a lens of capacity tied to new legislation.

Prioritize public safety & take crime seriously

Highway maintenance improvements and north-south inter-connector.

Randy Thompson:

In the riding of Prince George-North Cariboo, forestry has always played an important role in the economy of the three cities involved. Prince George, Quesnel and, Williams Lake but things have changed.

Quesnel has lost several mills as have the other cities. Less workers are employed all the time. Mills are increasingly automated and timber supplies are diminishing.

The breakneck speed of industrial harvesting of forests around British Columbia is changing the very make up of the province.

The problem of corporate greed is never satisfied. It’s more more more. Raw log exports. Primary forests turned into pellets to ship to the UK.

A true old-growth forest is about three complete forest cycles in one place. In other words, a forest grows and dies, another forest grows in that same spot, it dies and another forest grows in that spot and when it gets to be several hundred years old then “that” is an old growth forest. An old-growth forest is not a 100-year-old forest. There is an incredibly intense network of life interwoven into the fabric of a true old-growth forest.

Corporate forestry greed does not own our forests. They are bullying their way through each successive government in BC, lobbying their way into pushing the politicians around to get concessions and massive subsidies. It must end.

The BC Greens understand the real truth about what’s happening in BC Forestry and have a comprehensive plan to fix the problem. Reform the tenure system. Remove the greed. Give the resource back to the owners. The people.

Part of the myth of forestry is that the citizens of BC benefit. The only ones who get money from forestry are corporate coffers and forestry workers. British Columbians actually pay millions of dollars to allow forestry greed to destroy our environment and decimate our biodiversity.

You can’t plunder a finite resource and expect it to last forever. We are reaching the end of forever.

3. Why should someone vote for you?

Denice Bardua

I’m running for MLA because I know people here face big challenges – and I want to be part of David Eby’s team, tackling these challenges head-on. I’ve lived in Quesnel for over 25 years, and I’m ready to take action on the big issues that people across Prince George-North Cariboo care about – including affordable housing, healthcare that’s always there when people need it, and helping people with the cost of living.

I know that David Eby and the BC NDP team are ready to take on these tough challenges by building homes, hiring doctors and nurses, and putting money in the pockets of regular people.

When John Rustad was in power, he raised fees on regular people, gave tax breaks to the top 2%, and cut the services people rely on. We can’t go back to that – it’s a risk people here just can’t afford.

Sheldon Clare:

As a Conservative Party of BC candidate, I am running because I see a dire need for changing the direction that this province has been going in under several successive governments.

I became concerned for my daughters’ situations in BC and that they would enjoy the opportunities that should be available to all. As a college instructor for over three decades, I believe that we need to get back to a community-based model of education to support local needs within our province. I have watched this disaster underway under the NDP drive people away, and I want BC to be a place for people to prosper.

It’s time to return to common sense and stop the nonsense. I am the best candidate as I am a candidate for a major provincial party committed to positive change; I’m a vigorous advocate for our region, and I have a strong track record of community service – as well as significant experience in navigating political processes.

Coralee Oakes:

I am an experienced legislator capable of holding the government accountable while ensuring the voices of Prince George-North Cariboo constituents are heard. I have a proven track record of bringing major infrastructure projects to the region. I have built strong relationships across party lines over the years which is essential to helping resolve local issues.

As an Independent candidate I am free to vote for legislation that is in the best interest of the riding, not a party line. I will be 100% constituency focused.

In a close election with a divided legislature, I believe I have the skills to bridge divides, act as a neutral mediator, pushing through solutions when others can’t. I will also bring practical, innovative ideas to the table that reflect the realities of rural and north-central BC.

Randy Thompson:

We need a whole new approach to how we’re running this world. We are controlled in almost all aspects of our lives. And the strings are silently pulled by a collusion between governments and corporate greed.

This is why I’m running because the Global Greens which the BC Greens are connected to, want to remove corporate control from our lives. It’s a tall order. Oil and gas. Forestry. Mining. All resources are controlled by greed.

My job in this election is to expose and dispel the myths about forestry. Also setting the record straight about how incredibly brave the BC Green Party is in tackling the Goliath of corporate/industrial governance

The simple answer is corporate greed has a strangle hold on every aspect of our lives. The products we use. The media we listen to. The fuels we burn. The cost of our housing. The price of our food. The vehicles available to us. The messaging was force fed to us.

Most of the world’s wealth is owned by a select few at the top. A couple of Mega corporations own almost everything and don’t care about you and me. And yet some like to think the “Green Party” is the problem.

The BC Green Party is trying to take power away from the corporations and give it back to the people.

To point out the obvious, if the Green Party has never been in power, why is everyone so afraid of what they might do? How could they be any worse than the vast array of political misfits that have been forced on us for decades.

Most of us are drowning in debt, working our asses off, can’t make ends meet, living cheque to cheque suffering high prices that we’re forced to pay because we have no choice and somehow the BC Greens are the ones who people are afraid of.

NEWSFLASH.

THINGS ARE ALREADY MESSED UP AND THE GREEN PARTY DIDN’T DO IT

They’re trying to fix it.

4. Are there any final thoughts on any topic that you would like to share?

Denice Bardua

I have deep roots in this community and, if you elect me as your MLA, I will be a passionate champion for people and communities across Prince George-North Cariboo. Voters face such a stark choice this election – between David Eby who fights every day on the side of everyday people, and John Rustad who’d give tax breaks to the top 2% and make everyone else pay for it in higher fees, and cuts to the services we need.

I know things are hard for many people right now, but the action David Eby has been taking is starting to make a real difference in people’s lives. We can’t afford to stop now.

Sheldon Clare:

Building a strong northern and rural caucus within the government will ensure that our region is well represented in legislation. Being part of a party in government makes that easier – being in opposition would present additional challenges, but at least with a team you still have a voice.

The advantage of having a party is that MLAs can work together to promote the common interests of their ridings and help the province with their ministries as applicable. Prince George – North Cariboo is both rural and urban and is in effect a microcosm of the whole province. Connecting with constituents and acting on their needs is essential, and collaboration with other MLAs is critical.

Coralee Oakes:

We need greater support for our seniors including more housing options and home support.

We also need to address the lack of affordable housing options and supply.

Randy Thompson:

I’ve been a green type person my whole life. I wrote a little thing tonight. “We are nothing without nature….except lost”

We need the entire web of life on this planet to be whole. Nobody owns this place but many act like they do. Our planet has been gripped by a desire to sell it off.

The BC Greens are the party of common sense, respect, honesty, integrity and, ecological wisdom. They have the strength and guts to stand up to injustice and I am honoured to be running in Prince George-North Cariboo.

Editor’s note: Mypgnow would like to thank the four candidates for taking the time to respond to our questions. Reading their responses should better prepare each voter for the candidate of their choice.

Voting stations will be open from 8 AM to 8 PM on Saturday at these locations:

• Best Western Plus Prince George (3387 Highway 16 West)
• Buckhorn Volunteer Fire Department (5645 Buckhorn Lake Road)
• Hixon Elementary School (378 Lockyer Road)
• Southridge Elementary School (7300 Southridge Avenue)
• Vanway Elementary School (4509 Highway 16 West)