Close X
Monday, November 18, 2024
ADVT 
National

Former B.C. Liberal minister says he may vote NDP, as Eby woos disaffected centrists

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 30 Aug, 2024 01:38 PM
  • Former B.C. Liberal minister says he may vote NDP, as Eby woos disaffected centrists

Former British Columbia Liberal cabinet minister Terry Lake says he'll consider voting for Premier David Eby's New Democrats if the B.C. Conservatives don't shift to the political centre, especially on the issue of climate change.

Lake, an environment and health minister in former premier Christy Clark's Liberal government, says in an interview he may have no other choice in his Kamloops riding if B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad maintains his party's stances on environmental and social issues.

His remarks come as the NDP courts disaffected supporters of BC United, formerly known as the B.C. Liberals, after Leader Kevin Falcon scrapped the Official Opposition's election campaign and urged voters to support the Conservatives to prevent vote-splitting and the NDP's re-election in the fall.

An NDP news release quotes Lake and BC United figures, linking their comments about the political upheaval to Eby's offer to provide a home in the NDP for centrists.

Lake, who also ran for the federal Liberals in Kamloops in 2019, is among several political figures expressing concern this week at the folding of BC United's campaign 

West Vancouver-Capilano BC United MLA Karin Kirkpatrick says Falcon's move did not consider that middle-of-the-road voters "would be forced to swing to the left."

Rustad, who was ejected by Falcon from the former B.C. Liberal caucus for his skeptical views on climate science, said this week the Conservatives will not be making changes.

Eby had posted on social media on Thursday that his phone was "blowing up" with calls from former B.C. Liberal voters who could not bring themselves to support Rustad, saying the NDP welcomed such voters with concerns about climate change, reproductive freedom and building up the health care system.

MORE National ARTICLES

High school student arrested, knife found

High school student arrested, knife found
Police in New Westminster say a student at a city high school was arrested Wednesday after being found in possession of a knife. Police say an officer was at New Westminster Secondary on Wednesday morning for an unrelated reason, and told there was a student with a knife who was causing a disturbance. 

High school student arrested, knife found

RCMP tells owners to turn in guns after banned fully automatic model sold in Canada

RCMP tells owners to turn in guns after banned fully automatic model sold in Canada
The RCMP has told owners to turn in what the force is calling fully automatic military surplus firearms after hundreds were misidentified and allowed into Canada for commercial sale. The Mounties say the registrar of firearms immediately froze records relating to the 245 prohibited guns upon discovery of the issue to prevent further sale or transfer of the firearms.  

RCMP tells owners to turn in guns after banned fully automatic model sold in Canada

Police involved shooting in West Kelowna

Police involved shooting in West Kelowna
The Independent Investigations Office is investigating a police-involved shooting in West Kelowna this afternoon where one man was injured.  The R-C-M-P says police were responding to reports of gunshots and a man with a weapon in a vehicle.

Police involved shooting in West Kelowna

Pedestrian struck and killed in Vancouver

Pedestrian struck and killed in Vancouver
Police are investigating after a pedestrian was struck and killed by a car in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside today. Police say two cars collided at an intersection just before 11 this morning, and one of the cars jumped the curb and he the person on the sidewalk.  

Pedestrian struck and killed in Vancouver

Canada taking 'necessary time' to probe hospital blast in Gaza, says Trudeau

Canada taking 'necessary time' to probe hospital blast in Gaza, says Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday that Canada is working with allies to determine "exactly what happened" in the blast at a hospital in Gaza City earlier this week that has become a flashpoint in the Israel-Hamas war.  Trudeau said at a news conference in Ottawa that Canada is taking the "necessary time" to probe a blast that the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry says left hundreds dead. 

Canada taking 'necessary time' to probe hospital blast in Gaza, says Trudeau

Alberta court rejects challenge from law student to Oath of Allegiance to monarchy

Alberta court rejects challenge from law student to Oath of Allegiance to monarchy
Prabjot Singh Wirring had argued the portion of the oath mandated by the Legal Profession Act that includes pledging allegiance to the sovereign violates his Charter rights to religious freedom and equality. Wirring, who is an Amritkhari Sikh, said he is only allowed to pledge allegiance to a divine being in the Sikh tradition and not Queen Elizabeth, who was the reigning monarch at the time his suit was filed.   

Alberta court rejects challenge from law student to Oath of Allegiance to monarchy