Car insurance, LNG and affordability: highlights from B.C. party leaders' debate
10-minute debate on Indigenous rights legislation leads to strong opinions from major party leaders
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debate → lead → leaders
B.C. party leaders had the floor to address some of the topics that the election campaign has centred on at a debate in Vancouver on Wednesday night.
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campaign → have → night
Affordability, resource extraction projects and Indigenous rights legislation were debated at length by the leaders of the B.C. NDP, B.C. Conservative Party and B.C. Green Party.
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Affordability → debate → NDP
It was the only televised debate ahead of the Oct. 24 election.
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It → televise → election
An open debate between B.C. NDP Leader David Eby and B.C. Conservative Party Leader Doerkson over no-fault insurance in B.C. was noteworthy for an earnest back-and-forth over the values the auto insurance system should have.
"You're unclear on how much damage has been done under this [no-fault] system," said Doerkson, who was adamant that the no-fault model has further harmed people injured in accidents across the province.
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model → have → province
Eby, meanwhile, focused on the benefits of the system and pushed Doerkson on the lack of certainty of what would happen if no-fault insurance was eliminated.
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insurance → focus → certainty
"Who's going to pay for those lawyers, Lorne?
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Who → go → lawyers
That's going to come out of the public purse," he said — arguing that without no-fault, accidents are ripe for exploitation by lawyers, while pointing out Doerkson's inability to promise a freeze on rates if the system is repealed.
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system → go → rates
A 10-minute conversation about reconciliation and B.C.'s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA) underscored why the subject is so contentious, emotional, and hard for British Columbians to come to an agreement about.
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Columbians → underscore → agreement
DRIPA was passed into law by the B.C. Legislature in November 2019 with the aim of establishing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as the province's framework for reconciliation.
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DRIPA → pass → reconciliation
However, the act has since proved controversial over whether it is purely aspirational or has the power to shape laws.
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it → prove → laws
The three major party leaders faced off in the only televised debate before the Oct. 24 vote.
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leaders → face → vote
Doerkson argued that "court cases are rampant" and that DRIPA has to be repealed — but he was vague on what sort of process could or should replace it.
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"It is true, we have had a couple of challenging court decisions," said Eby, referring to the Gitxaała and Cowichan Tribes rulings by the B.C. Supreme Court, which prompted the NDP government to pledge a re-examination how the landmark legislation can work in the future without raising questions over the future of private property.
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legislation → have → property
He added that the legislation was necessary to ensure certainty for major natural resource projects on unceded land.
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legislation → add → land
But B.C. Green Party Leader Emily Lowan took the moment to send a clear message.
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Lowan → take → message
"DRIPA has no bearing on private property.
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DRIPA → have → property
It sets out the rules for governments to do their homework, and bring up our legislation," she said.
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she → set → legislation
She accused the Conservatives of "misinformation and blatant fear-mongering," before Eby accused the Conservatives of supporting residential school denialism.
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Eby → accuse → denialism
Doerkson said Eby's accusations were "offensive."
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accusations → say → ?
Resource sector
Lowan was critical of Eby's plans on liquefied natural gas, asking him, "How dare you gamble our economy on LNG?"
It comes after the LNG Canada Phase 2 project was recently greenlit, in a move that could double the exports of LNG from an export facility in Kitimat.
Lowan
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that → liquefy → Kitimat
forecasts show B.C.'s project could be sold at a loss, and she said expects just 150 jobs to come out of it.
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jobs → show → it
Eby says LNG Canada Phase 2 will be 30 per cent better performing at carbon emissions than the best facilities in the world, and generate $28 billion in provincial revenue.
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Phase → say → revenue
"That's money I don't have to come to ask you and your families in taxes for," he said.
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he → have → taxes
Doerkson was critical of Eby's broader approach to building up the resource sector, saying the direct revenue coming from the forest industry "could be likened to cigarette tax."
Closing thoughts
In his final remarks, Doerkson said the economy and seniors' care needs to improve, and cited the need for change in the legislature after nearly a decade under the NDP.
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economy → build → NDP
Lowan began her closing remarks by saying she is "exhausted" by the NDP "bribing" the electorate with promises they never deliver on.
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they → begin → promises
She also called out the B.C. Conservatives for their "unwillingness to report where the cuts are coming from."
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cuts → call → where
In Eby's final remarks, he repeated a line from earlier in the debate in saying "I know I haven't been perfect," but added the NDP will "always will be committed to fight for you."
With files from Justin McElroy, Karin Larsen, Franny Karlinsky and Arden McLeod
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NDP → repeat → McElroy
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