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 treatment doesn’t solve poverty and homelessness.
” The campaign was to start in Black Creek near Courtenay at night, but the afternoon launch at Crab Park was added late Friday night. The NDP issued a response to Rustad’s campaign launch, saying he’s not done enough to clamp down on his candidates who express conspiracy theories, anti-vaccine, anti-abortion, and homophobic views. “We already knew that John Rustad is willing to tolerate hateful views and conspiracy theories amongst his candidates.
Now to kick off his campaign, he’s promising to let them vote however they want. There’s no way for British Columbians to know if they’re getting an MLA who would advocate to restrict abortion, or vote against laws to protect gay and lesbian British Columbians. That’s a risk we can’t afford,” said NDP candidate Ravi Kahlon in a release.
On Friday, NDP Leader David Eby unveiled the party’s campaign bus in Surrey. On Saturday he launched his campaign in Richmond, appearing with NDP candidates Kelly Greene, Linda Li, Aman Singh and Henry Yao. Li will be running in Richmond Centre, which was previously Richmond North Centre and held by veteran Teresa Wat who moved from B.
C. United to the Conservatives. In 2020, the NDP made a major breakthrough with Greene, Singh and Yao taking three out of four seats from the Liberals.
Recently the NDP has been navigating protests against Richmond council’s plans for a supervised drug consumption site, which was shelved at the request of Eby. A project that would have supplied supportive housing was also suspended after heated debates about mental health, addictions and public safety. On Saturday, the NDP chose to highlight expanding an acute care tower at Richmond Hospital.
“Our Richmond team is working hard every day to solve today’s tough problems and it’s starting to make a difference. John Rustad’s plan for deep cuts to health care would mean firing family doctors and cancelling long overdue projects, like the Richmond Hospital new acute care tower. The tower was promised by John Rustad’s government and never built.
” The Greens issued a release saying it is focused on key ridings, mostly on Vancouver Island, but also including Kootenay Central and West Vancouver-Sea to Sky, where support is rising..
