VANCOUVER — The British Columbia provincial election campaign is expected to officially kick off Saturday, but party leaders have been vying for votes for months in the lead up to the Oct. 19 fixed election day.
Here's a look at some of the issues that are expected to be front and centre over the next month and what the political parties have said about them so far.B.C. Conservatives promise significant changes to the system, including sending people outside the province for care, expanding private clinics, and providing compensation for workers who lost their jobs for refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
Researchers and police say statistics show most crimes are down in B.C., but that hasn't quelled the voices calling for more to be done on bail reform, enforcement of regulations and other changes to the justice system. The BC Greens have said they'll fund a"continuum of response" to mental health, substance use, and other complex social issues, with a focus on prevention and community-led responses. The party also says it will draft a Community Safety and Policing Act and improve officer training to"shift police culture.
The NDP dialed back its drug decriminalization policy earlier this year, narrowing places where people can possess small amounts of illicit drugs for personal use. More recently, leader David Eby said a re-elected NDP would open facilities to treat people involuntarily if they have concurrent mental health and addiction issues.
The news comes as one business leader said many British Columbians are experiencing their own"personal recession."
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