B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad made the first of several campaign stops in Kelowna Friday morning (Oct 4).
While there to announce his party’s childcare plan for B.C. families, questions from the media centred around youth mental health and addiction, an NDP court challenge over the use of the Conservatives name, the speculation and vacancy tax, and local party candidates who refuse to speak with Kelowna media outlets.
“Candidates are free to decide what they want to do in terms of how they want to fight the campaign and how they want to present themselves to the riding,” Rustad said during a news conference. “I know that two of our candidates are out there right now knocking on doors...and connecting with people rather than being here at the announcement.”
The Conservative leader was asked if he would encourage candidates to attend election forums.
“It really is up to individual candidates. I know there are some dates NDP candidates haven’t attended as well.”
West Kelowna-Peachland Conservative candidate Macklin McCall and NDP candidate Krystal Smith did not attend an election forum on Oct. 2, leaving unaffiliated candidate Stephen Johnston as the only participant.
While several questions were allowed by Lower Mainland media by phone, Rustad only took two questions from Okanagan media before the news conference was ended by his campaign staff.
Rustad was joined at Friday’s news conference by Gavin Dew (Kelowna-Mission) and Kristian Loewen (Kelowna-Centre). Dew has agreed to be interviewed by Black Press Media previously. Loewen has provided a candidate profile but has not responded to further requests for interviews.
McCall and Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream candidate Tara Armstrong have not agreed to interviews, but both have provided candidate profiles.
In an emailed statement, Kelowna-Mission NDP candidate Harpreet Badohal said “Voters deserve better and can't afford the risk of John Rustad."
"The BC Conservative candidates are hiding because they can't answer questions about Rustad's plans to hike car insurance, end the speculation tax on empty homes, and cut healthcare spending,” he said.
Friday’s childcare announcement was made at Dew’s business, Play Area on Enterprise Way.
“What’s happened with the Eby-Trudeau alliance…after seven years is that all we have to show for it is wait lists for childcare,” Rustad said.
He said a Conservative government would expand $10-a-day childcare availability by ending the NDP’s funding bias against independent providers and expediting access to families that need it most.
The Conservatives also promised to increase the BC Family and Affordable Childcare Benefis, add childcare spaces by fixing unnecessary or unreasonable regulations, and create 24-hour childcare spaces.
Rustad has several events scheduled for Friday and Saturday (Oct. 5) in the Kelowna area.
