Homelessness, the healthcare system, and advocating for rural communities, were the main points of discussion during the all-candidates meeting in Hope Wednesday night (Oct. 16).
Fraser-Nicola hopefuls Francyne Joe (NDP), Tony Luck (Conservative), and Jonah Timms (Green) were in top form as they used their wits to battle it out during the meeting at the Hope Recreation Centre Conference Room. Moderated by the Hope and District Chamber of Commerce, and The Hope Standard, a crowd of over 30 locals, from both Agassiz and Hope, listened to candidates as they answered questions and shared their campaign platforms.
The meeting started off with candidates introducing themselves to the Hope community, with each of them providing opening remarks about their backgrounds and connections to rural communities. Afterwards, the Fraser-Nicola hopefuls answered questions given to them from the moderator and the public. Answers were limited to two minutes each and candidates were provided two rebuttal cards, which allowed them a minute to challenge each other’s responses.
Luck, who is a real estate agent in Merritt, said he is running because he believes a change is necessary in B.C. and believes that can be done through the Conservatives. Born and raised in Vancouver, Luck worked 26 years with BC Hydro, was a city councillor in Mission, and held leadership positions with the Fraser Valley Regional District and the Southern Interior Local Government Association
Timms, who works with the B.C. Ministry of Forests (MOF) as a First Nations relations advisor, said he is running because he is tired of rural communities not being heard, nor having their needs met, by elected leaders of the province. Currently living in Lillooet, Timms worked with Alberta wildfire, was a park interpreter for Parks Canada, and did invasive species removal for the New Zealand government.
Joe, who works for the First Nations’ Emergency Services Society of BC as a Human Resources Team Leader, said she is running because she feels she has the experience to be a good representative for this riding.
A member of the Nlaka’pamux First Nation, she grew up in the Fraser-Nicola with her family. She served as the president of the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC), and was the partnerships manager for the National Association of Friendship Centres.
The meeting, which was moderated by the President of the Chamber of Commerce George Rice, then went into questions pre-determined by the chamber; starting off, each candidate was asked how they would ensure that every community in the riding, especially Hope, would be listened to and advocated for.
Luck said he would make sure to schedule time with each community.
“Everywhere I go, I say that ‘I’m going to be your advocate in Victoria’,” Luck said. “I’m going to do round tables like this. We haven’t quite decided where we’re going to have our office yet. But you’re going to need somebody that’s willing to do a lot of windshield time. Be willing to spend a lot of time working in these communities. And listening to you and bringing your concerns back to Victoria.
“I’ll be here for you. That’s my job. That’s my role.”
Joe said she would make sure that constituents would always be able to reach her.
“I don’t think it’s just about having an office. (We need to make sure) that you can reach your MLA,” Joe said. “And honestly, the first thing I’ll do, you’re going to have my cellphone number. We also, just from talking through the pandemic, learned how to use virtual assistants and hybrid meetings.
“And I think that’s something we need to consider using. And having regular times and where I can be available to you, either by phone, by computer or in person.”
Timms said he would be utilizing mobile offices more and making time for people to speak with him.
“Hope is very central in this riding,” Timms said. “And every time I go down to Victoria, to be your MLA, I’d charge my car next to the art gallery here. So I would be coming to Hope regularly. And when I come to Hope, I am there for you. I want to be doing outreach, and I don’t want to be just doing it during the day, when you’re working.
“I want to do it at various times, so that I can get a wide and broad array of opinions and ideas on how to make life better in the riding and for the people of Hope.”
The candidates were also asked about the healthcare worker shortage and what they would do to protect Hope’s healthcare system.
Joe said that she would advocate for and make sure that more doctors would be working in rural communities. She acknowledged how tough its been for doctors and nurses, especially during COVID-19, and said that the NDP was working to provide more supports in place for them. She also said that the party was looking to hire more doctors, especially from other countries, and that training places were being created.
Timms said the Greens want to rethink B.C.’s current healthcare system. He said they want to retain its universality while making sure that doctors and nurses can get back the 30 per cent to 40 per cent of their time cut by administrative work. One way the party plans to do this is by opening up healthcare centres throughout every riding in the province, which would attract doctors to rural communities. Timms said the party also plans to invest more in allied healthcare in smaller communities.
Luck said that B.C.’s healthcare system needs to be revamped. He said that the province needs to have less restrictions around certifying doctors from other countries, He also affirmed that the Conservatives would not be cutting $4 billion from the healthcare system. Instead the party would be looking at other healthcare models around the world, especially those used in Europe.
After giving his response, Timms used his rebuttal to challenge Luck around using other healthcare models.
“Looking at different models is really a fancy way of saying that you’re going to be privatizing the healthcare services,” Timms said. “That’s something the Greens don’t believe in. And that’s something that we are going to protect our healthcare system from, by ensuring that we are adequately funding our healthcare services and not selling out our public utility services to the private sector.”
Luck, in turn, used his rebuttal to challenge Timms’ rebuttal.
“This is the kind of fear-mongering that has gone on in Canada for the past 30 or 40 years,” Luck said.
“If you want to continue going the way we’re going, and you want another four years, of the last seven years of our healthcare, then you just go ahead and vote for the Greens or the NDP. But we’ve got to get down to have a serious conversation about healthcare.
“We’re not going to have a private healthcare. We’re going to have a universal healthcare in the sense, you pay your taxes like you do. And we’re gonna have a benefit of public and private healthcare.”
Francyne chose not to provide a rebuttal during this time.
A question asked by an audience member during the last half of the meeting, about re-hiring nurses who refused to take the COVID-19 vaccine, allowed the candidates to expand on their policies around healthcare.
Joe said, given the shortage of healthcare workers, she would be open to re-hiring the nurses but there would need to be a discussion about how that would look.
Luck said that the Conservatives were planning to re-hire the nurses, if they got into power, and he fully supported the decision.
Timms said he did not support re-hiring the nurses as doing so could put vulnerable people at risk.
The candidates were also asked how they would support Hope with regards to homelessness and supportive housing.
Timms said that the Green party wants to ensure that housing is being built where it is needed most. This includes reaching a goal of building 26,000 housing units, in partnership with municipalities, nonprofits, and BC Housing, to ensure that there is non-market housing available for communities like Hope. This, he said, would help those struggling with homelessness or finding adequate shelter.
Luck said they would be seriously reviewing BC Housing and doing a revamp of it. He said that BC Housing is failing the province and that too many people are “left in the dark” when it comes to what they’re doing, and how they’re doing it. As a result, the Conservatives would be looking at other models and ways to provide housing in B.C.
Joe said the solution should be focused first on providing supports to communities and families, so that those struggling with homelessness can be supported. She said the NDP has a plan to help with this, and that they’ve spent the last three years working on it. She then drew attention to the Conservatives’ plan to review everything and said that releasing your plan or platform at the last minute is not reasonable.
Candidates also answered questions on: infrastructure, economic development in Hope, electric vehicles, the drug crisis, political reform, the RCMP, fiscal responsibility, and public transportation.
During the question period, the responses varied between candidates with no clear indicator on which party would be the favourite to win.
After answering questions, candidates were given a minute each for closing remarks.
Timms said that constituents should consider the Green party, and him as their MLA, because people have already seen both parties not meeting the needs of British Columbians when they held power.
“One reason I want you to consider voting for me, this election, is because we’ve seen what these two other ways of doing things in province results in,” Timms said. “It results in losses of nurses and results in kind of the status quo being upheld. And the B.C. Greens have done amazing things when given that ability in the legislature to dictate how legislation (will look like).
Joe said that voters need to consider an MLA who they can hold accountable and will be accountable to them. And she believes that she’s the MLA who can give that to the Fraser-Nicola communities.
“They need to make sure they’re communicating their work on your behalf on a regular basis,” Joe said. “ They need to make sure that they’re not just speaking to people who are here today, but also the people who weren’t able to make it. We need to be planning ahead and sharing this plan with you. And on a personal basis, this is my home. And I really want to do my best by you.”
Meanwhile, Luck wants voters to consider him, and the Conservatives, because he believes a change needs to happen in the province.
“Francyne is a lovely lady. We get along great but unfortunately her leader lost his way,” Luck said. “This is a critical election. And we need another four years, of the last seven years, with open drug use, lack of doctors and nurses, and broken health care system. So, it’s time to take a chance to change.”
The final day for voting will take place tomorrow (Oct. 19), from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The closet voting stations for residents will be the Royal Canadian Legion Branch#228, Silver Creek Elementary School, Shxw’ow’hamel First Nation Band Office Gym, and the Yale Community Centre.
To watch the meeting, readers can visit the District of Hope’s Ratepayers Association’s Facebook page.
