Close X
Sunday, December 1, 2024
ADVT 
National

Choice is between BC United and NDP, says Kevin Falcon, shrugging off Conservatives

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 21 Dec, 2023 04:22 PM
  • Choice is between BC United and NDP, says Kevin Falcon, shrugging off Conservatives

The leader of British Columbia's official Opposition, the BC United party, says he'll make sure voters have a clear choice in the election next fall. 

Kevin Falcon said in a year-end interview that voters will have the opportunity to decide between the "unaffordable" New Democrats or the results-oriented BC United. 

Competition with the B.C. Conservatives, who have two seats in the legislature and are riding high in opinion polls, and the name change to BC United from the BC Liberal Party, will not be major deciding factors in the October 2024 campaign, Falcon said.

Vote splitting on the political right has always been an issue in B.C. elections, but the potential threat to BC United from the provincial Conservatives will fizzle when voters realize they are not Pierre Poilievre's federal Conservatives, said Falcon.

"I'm not concerned and I'll tell you why," he said. "It's because I've been around for a while and I know that the polling is frankly b.s."

He said much of that is confusion from people thinking they would vote for Pierre Poilievre, the leader of the federal Conservatives.

Falcon, 60, said most people in B.C. could not recognize John Rustad, the B.C. Conservative Party leader, if he stopped them on the street.

"The support out there isn't because John Rustad has suddenly captured the imagination of the public," he said. "My God, of course not, it's Pierre Poilievre and the federal Conservatives."

B.C.’s long-dormant Conservatives achieved official party status this year with Rustad and Abbotsford South MLA Bruce Banman, both elected as former B.C. Liberals, joining forces in the legislature.

Rustad, 60, became Conservative leader last March after being dumped from Falcon's caucus in August 2022 for supporting climate change deniers on social media.

Banman, a former Abbotsford mayor, defected from BC United in September, saying the Conservatives would allow him to speak freely on issues of concern to his constituents.

Falcon said he had no regrets ejecting Rustad from the party caucus.

"I said, what you can't do when you are part of a team is just keep tweeting out climate denial stuff that hurts the entire team," said Falcon. "John refused to adhere to that fundamental basic discipline you have to have when you are part of a party."

Falcon said he perhaps could have done more to keep Banman from jumping to the Conservatives.

With about 10 months before the fall election, Falcon said voters will see BC United as the challenger and alternative to the NDP government of Premier David Eby.

"People are going to look and see a team that's ready," he said. "The BC United is the common-sense party that is going to fix the challenges we face in B.C., and is going to get us back so people can feel optimistic about the future."

Affordability, heath care, crime and the ongoing overdose crisis will continue to be issues of focus for BC United as the election approaches, Falcon said.

"Right now, we have become the most unaffordable province in the entire country under seven years of NDP government," he said, citing high housing prices and rising rents.

BC United will make affordability changes if elected, including removing the provincial taxes on all fuels and cutting the carbon tax completely if the Conservatives are elected in Ottawa and drop the federal tax, Falcon said.

BC United will provide free addiction recovery treatment in response to the illicit drug overdose crisis that has resulted in more than 13,000 deaths since the province declared a public health emergency in 2016, he said.

"You don't help people get better by saying, 'We're going to make sure you have access to free, government-supplied drugs,'" he said.

"I am appalled, frankly, at the reckless decriminalization of hard drugs that the government introduced. We're the only government in Canada that's doing this crazy experiment."

Falcon said he is not concerned about recent polling that suggests the NDP holds a solid lead over BC United, saying polls suggested the New Democrats were on their way to a massive victory in 2013 only to lose to Christy Clark's B.C. Liberals.

 

MORE National ARTICLES

Canada's Joly criticizes lack of fuel in Gaza, warns that UN may have to pause aid

Canada's Joly criticizes lack of fuel in Gaza, warns that UN may have to pause aid
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says it is not acceptable that United Nations work to support Palestinian civilians will end before Wednesday night due to a lack of fuel. She says civilians must be protected and enough food, fuel and water must get into Gaza so that the UN's life-saving work can continue.

Canada's Joly criticizes lack of fuel in Gaza, warns that UN may have to pause aid

Wanted sex offender Randall Hopley arrested in Vancouver, police say

Wanted sex offender Randall Hopley arrested in Vancouver, police say
Police say high-risk sex offender Randall Hopley has been arrested in Vancouver. A statement from police says Hopley was picked up at about 6 a.m. on the city's Downtown Eastside and he is in custody.

Wanted sex offender Randall Hopley arrested in Vancouver, police say

B.C. poultry staff told to vaccinate against flu as avian strains spread among birds

B.C. poultry staff told to vaccinate against flu as avian strains spread among birds
British Columbia's provincial health officer says people living or working on poultry farms should "prioritize" getting influenza vaccinations as avian flu spreads among flocks this fall. Dr. Bonnie Henry says while avian flu does not transmit easily from birds to humans, infections "can happen and are very concerning" because of the potential for the virus to mix with human influenza and mutate into something much more contagious.  

B.C. poultry staff told to vaccinate against flu as avian strains spread among birds

No Canadians approved to leave Gaza on Friday were able to exit: Global Affairs

No Canadians approved to leave Gaza on Friday were able to exit: Global Affairs
Global Affairs Canada says none of the Canadians on Friday's list of foreign nationals approved to leave the Gaza Strip were able to exit. There were 266 Canadian citizens, permanent residents and their family members on the Friday list who hoped to cross into Egypt at the Rafah border crossing.  

No Canadians approved to leave Gaza on Friday were able to exit: Global Affairs

Health authority declares COVID-19 outbreak with 15 cases at Victoria-area hospital

Health authority declares COVID-19 outbreak with 15 cases at Victoria-area hospital
A COVID-19 outbreak has been declared at a Victoria area hospital. Island Health says in a statement the outbreak was declared Thursday at the centre unit of Saanich Peninsula Hospital, with 15 patients infected and all experiencing mild illness.

Health authority declares COVID-19 outbreak with 15 cases at Victoria-area hospital

Canada Post releases new stamp to mark arrival of Diwali

Canada Post releases new stamp to mark arrival of Diwali
Canada Post, the primary postal operator in the country, has issued a new stamp celebrating the arrival of Diwali, the festival of lights observed by Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and other communities across the world. The stamp, which was released in a special booklet of six, costing CA$ 5.52, is available for purchase at post offices across the country.   

Canada Post releases new stamp to mark arrival of Diwali