B.C. New Democratic Party leader John Horgan visited Okanagan Valley communities on Saturday, in the final days before the provincial election.
Campaign stops were in Vernon, Summerland, Penticton, Oliver and Osoyoos were focused on not just the BC NDP platform but also encouraging volunteers and backers to speak with dis-enfrachised voters who previously marked a ballot for the BC Liberals.
“We have to spend the next three days talking to our neighbours, talking to people that we know in other parts province, send some emails to your friends, phone up your old school chums from Kelowna, phone up your old school chums from Prince George and tell them we can’t risk four more years of Christy Clark,” said NDP leader John Horgan. “We can’t risk that for our school system, we can’t risk that for our health care system. We can’t risk that for our seniors.”
NDP candidate Tarik Sayeed, who is running in the Penticton riding, said to a crowd gathered at a local restaurant that also included long-time NDP supporters Grand Chief Stewart Philip and his wife Joan, that the Liberal platform gives him the “chills.”
“We are only three days from forming a government. A government that not only will work for the two per cent but a government that will work for every one of us in this room and British Columbia,” said Sayeed.
Horgan called this the “most important election of our lifetime,” adding it is critical for the young people in the province. But, it wasn’t just young people who are struggling that Horgan said not a hand up, not a hand out. He claimed seniors are being ignored and that health care needs to be a priority during his stop in Osoyoos in front of the South Okanagan General Hospital.
“We are going to stand with you for public health care. That was our commitment in the past, that is our commitment today and that will be our commitment in the future. But, we have to hold together we can’t risk four more years of Christy Clark, we need to bring together disaffected voters and make ensure that on May 9 they cast a ballot for Colleen Ross (Boundary-Similkameen) and the BC NDP,” said Horgan.
The provincial election is on Tuesday, May 9. Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Pacific time. Details on where to vote can be found online at elections.bc.ca.