NDP Leader David Eby Friday questioned a decision by Conservative Party of B.C. Leader John Rustad to forego a televised leader's debate on Vancouver Island.
"I am willing to do a debate with John Rustad," he said. ''I want to talk about your issues."
Rustad said during an appearance in Surrey that it does not make sense to have two back-to-back leaders debate. The debate in question was organized by the Victoria television station CHEK, and scheduled for Oct.9, one day after the main televised debate organized by a consortium of broadcasters of which CHEK is not part.
Eby made these comments in the Greater Victoria community of Oak Bay, the final stop of a campaign tour on Vancouver Island that had started Thursday evening in Nanaimo. He also made stops in Cumberland, Parksville, and North Cowichan. Local NDP candidates Diane Gibson, Nina Krieger, Grace Lore, Ravi Parmar, Sarah Riddell and Darlene Rotchford joined him.
So did close to 200-plus supporters, who also had a chance to watch Eby try his hands at cricket during the stop which lasted an estimated 10 minutes. He also used the occasion to urge supporters to knock on doors.
Friday's afternoon appearance follows an announcement about fast-tracking pre-manufactured homes, and the release of the Conservatives' housing policy in Surrey by Rustad. It also comes after the B.C. NDP released a series of tweets from Conservative candidates, which the party says show that "several of (Rustad's) candidates are openly pushing two pro-Trump conspiracy theories."
Black Press Media has reached out to Rustad for comment.
More to come
