B.C. leaders on the campaign trail talk health care and supporting seniors

Ahead of the Thanksgiving weekend, B.C. politicians were on the campaign trail as time to get their message out winds down.

BC Conservative leader Lorne Doerkson made his pitch to the province’s seniors.

“So here’s where the NDP has left the people who built B.C., taxed more on less, squeezed out of their own homes and nowhere to go when they need care,” Doerkson said.

The Conservatives are promising to enact a series of measures, including reversing the NDP’s changes to the property-tax deferment program, building more long-term-care beds and support aging at home.

BC NDP leader David Eby was in Surrey to talk about health care.

“There’s a number of components to today’s announcement, but it’s all about getting you faster access to the care that you and your family need,” Eby said.

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If re-elected, Eby is promising to open 20 new primary care clinics, fast-track international medical graduates living in B.C. and open training spaces for 1,000 more health-care workers.

4:39 BC. municipal and provincial election campaigns enter final weeks

CentreBC leader Elenore Sturko held her first rally of the campaign on Friday.

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The party is running 36 candidates in the provincial election and Sturko promised more money to boost manufacturing.

“B.C. already has a fund for manufacturers,” she said.

“The Manufacturing Jobs Fund and CenterBC is promising; we will double it to $60 million a year.”

The BC Conservatives have also released an advertisement that focuses on presenting Doerkson as ready to lead the province.

“This election will ultimately become a referendum on the NDP as government and voters may be more content to go with the unknown than the known frustrations of the NDP,” said Stewart Prest, a political science lecturer with the Department of Political Science at the University of British Columbia.

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The NDP continue to try to cast doubt on Doerkson’s credibility, including plans to reform ICBC.

“A lot of voters are thinking time for change, so the NDP have to convince those voters that change with the Conservatives is too risky,” strategy officer and podcast host Mike McDonald said.

Meanwhile, the BC Green Party promised to bring in free transit passes for youth under 25 and seniors over 65.

They also announced their plan to develop passenger rail and expand ferry services.

“B.C. has rail corridors, it has the capacity to run more ferries,” said BC Green Party leader Emily Lowan. “Yet due to consistent delays and unsustainable funding, these essential services have been neglected. The BC Greens will make sure communities, workers, and families from across B.C. can stay connected, through supporting a future for our rail corridors, building and maintaining ferries locally, and supporting the union workers we’ll need to connect B.C.”

The campaign enters the home stretch after the long weekend, with the debate on Wednesday in a close race that most observers believe is going to be an increasingly ferocious fight to the finish line.