Local Party leaders face off in final debate

B.C. Liberal Leader Christy Clark, NDP Leader John Horgan and Green Leader Andrew Weaver spent 90 minutes debating the issues and each other with moderator Jennifer Burke in a broadcast feed carried by the province’s major television networks on Wednesday night.

In their opening remarks, Horgan said the province can’t afford four more years of leadership from Clark’s Liberals.

“You are working harder but you aren’t getting ahead,” he said, listing off rising housing, Hydro and other government fees.

Weaver said he was not a career politician but was out to make a better democracy.

Clark said during a time of economic uncertainty and protectionism by the United States that voters need a strong leader.

“But in the face of rising protectionism in the United States the question in this election is which leader has the skills to lead us in a time of uncertainty?” she said.

“Which of us will protect and preserve jobs for British Columbians?”

The first topic was housing, with Horgan being asked how his $400 annual renters grant would actually help in the housing affordability crisis.

He said it was just one aspect of his plan.

“If home owners can get a break for owning a home, we feel renters deserve a break as well,” he said.

Clark said people have equity tied up in their homes and governments have to be careful in what it did, including researching its 15 per cent foreign buyer tax.

“Most of us want our kids to own their own home,” she said.

“They don’t want the government and John Horgan as their landlord. They want somewhere that belongs to them.”

Horgan quizzed Clark about why she took so long to act as premier.

“Why did you wait so long, was it because your rich developers were making a bundle or was it you just didn’t care about families being able to buy homes in metro Vancouver?” asked Horgan.

Clark shot back: “We want to make sure if you own your own home, government wasn’t going to take some initiative so dramatic and harmful it meant you lose the equity in your home you built.”

Clark and Horgan sparred, with Horgan calling her negligent and saying housing prices in Metro Vancouver rose $600,000 during her inaction.

Clark retorted by describing Horgan’s rental program as $1 a day for renters.

“How is $1 a day going to help a tech worker be able to rent a home in Vancouver and how is scrapping the first time homebuyers program going to make it more affordable?”

Horgan came back with a line he’s used before in the election: “Why would anyone believe you now, just before an election? You are always quick with a smile and a promise and you don’t deliver.”

Clark and Weaver then debated, with Weaver saying the Greens are determined to close a speculation loophole that the Liberals ignored.

“Clearly your plan has not worked,” Weaver said to Clark.

“We’re in the crisis we’re in precisely because your plan hasn’t worked.”

Clark said the NDP and Greens are determined to kill jobs.

On the economy, Horgan was asked if he has outlined all of the potential tax increases voters might see in his first term in office.

He did not answer, instead repeating that Hydro, ICBC, MSP and other hikes have made life less affordable under the Liberals.

Clark and Horgan sparred on the economy, with Clark using a question to ask Horgan why he never asked any questions in the legislature about the softwood lumber dispute the past three years

“If you came to question period more often maybe I would have had the opportunity to do that,” replied Horgan.

“You’ve been absent on the file Ms. Clark, the deal expired two years ago and now two weeks before an election you want workers in B.C. to believe you care about this.”

Weaver asked Clark why her liquified natural gas promises failed to materialize.

“Our LNG plan has gone slower than we wanted due to market conditions,” she said. “But I don’t think people want us to give up.”

Horgan chose to attack Weaver on his decision to vote for two previous B.C. Liberal budgets. Weaver punched back.

“What is a bit rich is for you to have the audacity to criticize my voting record, when I sat in the legislature for four years and for four years each and every one of your MLAs voted collectively on every issue even if it was fundamentally against what they believe in,” Weaver charged.

Horgan questioned if the Greens were worth supporting as a party.

“Are the Greens really in this to win this is or are they in this to keep the B.C. Liberals in power?” asked Horgan.

“I recognize as a career politician you know nothing but saying no and being antagonistic to the B.C. Liberals,” replied Weaver.

The two began talking over each other.

“Are you going to lose your temper on me now Mr. Horgan, because you did last week,” said Weaver.

Weaver was also asked who he would support should there be a minority parliament and he has the deciding votes.

“We have agreed and promised at all times to work with whomever forms government,” he said.

Moderator Burke asked Horgan about his mercurial temperament.

“Do you have an anger management issue?” she asked. “Not at all,” replied Horgan. “When I see a government that ignores children in care to the point where they take their own lives I get angry and I think British Columbians get angry as well.

“I’m passionate and I feel strongly about a whole host of issues.”

Burke asked Clark how she will repair broken trust with the electorate and Clark said she thinks voters want jobs and a leader who can control their temper.

Weaver asked Horgan how voters can believe the NDP when it criticizes the Liberals for taking corporate donations when the NDP takes union donations.

“Who is calling the shots in your campaign?” asked Weaver.

Horgan said he would ban corporate and union donations the day after the election.

“So do as I say, not as I do,” said Weaver.

Horgan and Weaver then argued over top of each other until moderator Burke ordered a time out.

Horgan took Clark to task over her government’s defeat at the Supreme Court of Canada on stripping teachers of bargaining rights, asking if she’d apologize to the decade of students shortchanged by government’s fight with teachers.

Clark argued that education outcomes are among the best in the world, which puts the lie to his criticism.

“You were dragged kicking and screaming to that position,” said Horgan.

Horgan and Weaver clashed again on Medical Services Plan premiums, with Weaver alleging Horgan isn’t clear on whether his promise to eliminate MSP would be rolled into income tax.

“I’ve been crystal clear on my MSP premiums from the start,” said Horgan.

“You have a plan to develop a plan to come up with a plan,” said Weaver.

“Correct,” said Horgan, before the two sparred and talked over each other. “Can I get a word in?” asked Weaver.

“Are you getting mad at me too, John?”

Clark used her closing comments to say Horgan is compromised and Weaver is not interested in job creation.

“I’m asking for your vote so I can have a strong mandate to continue to fight for B.C. jobs and build a bright future for our kids,” she said.

Weaver said it is time for new voices in Victoria.

“The B.C. NDP and B.C. Liberals squabble who is the least bought off,” he said.

“Quite frankly neither of them can be trusted with a majority government. That’s why tonight I hope you can agree with me, it’s a time for a change, a change you can count on.”

Horgan said it’s time for a change and for the Liberals to sit in opposition.

“I think it’s time for change,” he said. “I think its time the B.C. Liberal neglect ends. Help is on the way.

“If you want change in British Columbia, if you want to get the wealthy and the well connected off the train, vote B.C. NDP.”

After the debate, the leaders offered their reactions.

Weaver called it a “great debate” and defended asking Horgan about his temper at least twice.

“We were having a heated debate and a debate on issues and we were just debating the issues,” he said.

“I’ve had feedback already people found it interesting and fun to watch, enjoyable to watch.”

Weaver said he’s not worried about continued attacks by the NDP that a vote for the Greens will simply elect the Liberals.

“It’s a pretty shallow argument and it’s actually an offensive argument,” he said.

“The NDP believe voters can’t make up their own mind and owe their votes to parties.

“It’s clear that message is backfiring on him,” Weaver said of Horgan.

Wednesday’s TV debate was technically the first broadcast debate of the election.

However, the leaders did spar on a radio debate April 20 that was simulcast on television and produced fireworks between Horgan and Clark over unwanted touching by Clark and an aggressive performance by the NDP leader.

Polling shows the NDP with a possible lead heading into the second half of the campaign. The election is on May 9.

The B.C. NDP and B.C. Liberals squabble who is the least bought off. Quite frankly neither of them can be trusted with a majority government. Polling shows the NDP with a possible lead heading into the second half of the campaign. The election is on May 9. (In) the face of rising protectionism in the United States the question in this election is which leader has the skills to lead us in a time of uncertainty? When I see a government that ignores children in care to the point where they take their own lives I get angry and I think British Columbians get angry as well.