Third in a series of Black Press B.C. election coverage leading up to May 9
WATCH: Post-debate press conference
B.C.B次元官网网址檚 party leaders faced each other for the first time in an election debate Thursday in Vancouver.
B.C. Liberal leader Christy Clark, B.C. NDP leader John Horgan and B.C. Green Party leader Andrew Weaver met at CITY-TV for the first of two broadcast debates, this one also broadcast on B次元官网网址1130 radio.
READ:
Clark and Horgan clashed immediately on their competing plans to reduce and eliminate Medical Services Plan fees. Clark referred to NDP finance critic Carole JamesB次元官网网址� comment the previous day that the revenue of more than $1 billion a year would be shifted to the B次元官网网址減rogressiveB次元官网网址� tax system. Horgan said that does not mean moving the cost onto the income tax system.
Mental health and addictions prompted another sharp exchange, with Horgan repeatedly interrupting Clark.
Weaver agreed with Horgan on the proposal to create a new ministry responsible for mental health and addictions.
Clark defended her proposal to put a $500 annual cap on road tolls paid to use the Port Mann and Golden Ears bridge. Asked by moderator Bill Good why the tolls are being limited just before the May 9 election, Clark said itB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渂ecause we can afford itB次元官网网址� due to strong economic performance and controlling expenditures.
READ:
Horgan has promised to eliminate tolls, replacing the revenues for three years by using ClarkB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渇ake prosperity fundB次元官网网址� that took increasing MSP revenue and called it liquefied natural gas revenues.
Weaver said road tolls are good public policy and he would keep them in place. He said communities outside Metro Vancouver should also pay tolls as users of major infrastructure projects.
Clark defended her governmentB次元官网网址檚 record on creating new child care spaces, promising to fund construction of 4,000 more and predicting that the federal government will fund a similar amount in the coming years.
Horgan called it an B次元官网网址渁d hocB次元官网网址� approach, and promoted his plan to create a $10-a-day universal child care system within 10 years.
B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檙e not going to deliver it until those kids have their driverB次元官网网址檚 licence,B次元官网网址� Clark replied, warning of the problems encountered when Quebec introduced universal daycare.
There was no discussion of WeaverB次元官网网址檚 proposal to provide no-cost daycare for children up to two years old, and expand kindergarten to three- and four-year-olds. Weaver is the last party leader to release a costed platform, expected this week.
Good asked each candidate about the pending legalization of marijuana. Clark suggested Horgan plans to side with the B.C. Government EmployeesB次元官网网址� Union and retail pot through liquor stores. Horgan said he has talked with marijuana dispensary owners, pharmacists and liquor retailers, and said it will B次元官网网址減robably be a mix.B次元官网网址�
Weaver said OttawaB次元官网网址檚 plan to legalize is leaning toward large corporate providers, and he favours B次元官网网址渃raft cannabisB次元官网网址� similar to local beer, as long as there is effective control to prevent minors from buying it.
