Article content Provincial party leaders chose strategic locations to kick off the first day of their campaigns as the election was called Saturday. Conservative Leader John Rustad was at Crab Park in East Vancouver with his wife, Kim, at the port in Burrard Inlet and its only legal encampment, where there around a dozen tents. “When you look out behind me at the beautiful scenery, at the industrial activity that is happening, or at the tents and the drugs and the addictions that are going on, it is a stark contrast between what we’re trying to do for the people of British Columbia and where we hope to see hope for our future and to the David Eby and Justin Trudeau approach, which has led to so many challenges and issues across this province,” Rustad said.
He spoke of getting rid of the carbon tax, investments in health care, changes for treatment and recovery for those with addictions, and the economy. Guy Felicella, a harm reduction and recovery expert, said he was disappointed Rustad would use the view of a homeless encampment to start the campaign. “When I found out that it was at Crab Park, I was concerned, obviously, as a person that works with vulnerable populations accessing harm reduction, recovery and housing,” he said.
“He could have gone and done it anywhere and come up with some solutions to homelessness, which he didn’t come up with. He talked about addiction treatment. But it was very vague, considering the location, and going into addiction treat.