After a calm and collected discussion between the candidates for Prince George-Valemount, the Prince George-Mackenzie candidate debate seemed positively fiery.
Liberal incumbent Mike Morris, second-time NDP contender Bobby Deepak and Green Party candidate Hilary Crowley faced the same six questions as the Valemount candidates.
Crowley was the first to introduce herself, as determined by a coin toss. She spoke to her experience with the Green Part, including four federal candidacies. “I believe we’re the only party that’s looking to the future,” she said, while reminding the audience that the Green do not accept union, corporate or out of province donations. Deepak went next, promoting his party’s intention to bring sustainable jobs to BC and help the province’s seniors age with dignity. Morris mentioned his northern roots, growing up in Quesnel and serving in RCMP posts across the region since the 70s. He said his main motivation is keeping BC great for his grandkids.
Crowley caught the first question, about ensuring adequate training and education in the north. She focused on the Green Party’s commitment to early childhood education, including free daycare for kids under three with working parents, $65 million per year for four years to support co-op and work experience programs and needs-based grants for post-secondary students. Morris pointed to pointed to Liberal investments in the College of New Caledonia, UNBC, Northern Lights College and North Western College. When he specifically reference  a new sonography program at CNC,  Crowley questioned, “How can you make these promises when you’re no longer MLA?” referencing the fact that that announcement was made a little over a week before the campaign period began.
Deepak pointed out the BC’s economy has been deemed the worst performing in the country for young people, according to lobby group Generation Squeeze. The NDP will get rid of interest on students loans, he said, and offer $1000 grants to students who complete their programs. The party’s pledge to create 96,000 construction jobs will include apprenticeship opportunities, he added.
Deepak had the first response to the second question, about government spending on economic development, saying the economy should work for the people. “Last year, everywhere lost jobs except the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island.” He then cited the NDP’s plans to eliminate the MSP, freeze hydro rates and stop planned increases to ICBC premiums, as well as performing “comprehensive reviews” of both ICBC and BC Hydro.
Morris jumped in as soon as Deepak’s time was up. “There’s a $600 million hole in the NDP platform,” he said. Deepak returned fire, referencing Liberal Mike de Jong’s public mischaracterization of the NDP platform last month.
Crowley patiently waited for her turn to speak, going straight to the Green Party’s promise to keep raw logs in BC. “Everybody thinks you need economic growth but what we need is a sustainable economy that can support education and health care,” she said. “There are other aspects to consider – chasing the dollar shouldn’t be the end all and be all.”
Question three, on relations with First Nations, went to Morris, who spoke about attending the recent swearing in of Lheidli T’enneh Chief Dominick Frederick and the improvements in the relationship between government and First Nations locally. He also mentioned the many economic benefit agreements signed by the Liberal government and various First Nations groups around the province. Deepak immediately cited the BC Union of Indian Chiefs “Anyone but Clark” campaign. Again seeming to wait her turn, Crowley referenced her party’s promise to consult First Nations at the beginning of any applicable resource development process. “We can’t bulldoze over the rights of First Nations people,” she said, citing widespread opposition to government-backed projects, including Enbridge’s now defunct Northern Gateway Pipeline and the Site C dam.
Crowley was back in the lead for question three on health care in the north. With her background in physiotherapy, Crowley spoke about preventive and holistic approaches to health issues. “We need to improve nutrition and physical activity as well as education for this,” she said. “Financial status also plays into health.” She said the party’s plan to introduce a $15 minimum wage could potentially improve provincial health outcomes. Deepak criticized the current use of UHNBC’s OR room and said wait times for procedures have increased drastically under the Liberal government. He said the NDP’s plan for health care is comprehensive, including urgent care centres throughout the province and increased support for seniors. Morris pivoted to the renovation tax credit, which he said would allow seniors to customize their homes as they age. He also pointed to the recent upgrades announced for UHNBC, which will add acute care beds as well as capacity for  mental health services.
Question four, on energy policy, went to Deepak, and that’s where the debaters really turned up the heat. Deepak criticized the current rate of raw log export and the Mt Polley mining disaster. Crowley said BC is too late to the table to see any benefits from LNG development and that the Greens would stop fracking in the province. Deepak said the NDP would develp LNG responsibly “without selling out the province” and then Morris brought up Site C, saying the project is needed to supplement any development of renewable energy sources. Crowley jumped on the issue, saying Hudson’s Hope, a community nearby the mega-project, is converting all of its municipal buildings to solar. Deepak called Site C a political project, saying the Liberal government had side-stepped assessment by the BC Utilities Commission – something he said an NDP government would do. “Are you going to fire all 2100 workers then?” Morris asked, echoing Bond’s response to Fletcher in the previous debate.
The final question was about support for small businesses and all three candidates reiterated their party stances, with answers nearly identical to the Valemount candidates.
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