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Christy Clark’s record under attack in testy debate

Horgan, Weaver and Clark spar in first contest
debate
Political leaders John Horgan (NDP), Christy Clark (Liberals) and Andrew Weaver (Green Party) participated Thursday in their first debate of the 2017 election campaign. Photo Dan Toulgoet

Christy Clark’s record as premier came under attack Thursday from her main challengers in a radio debate that got testy at times but allowed each leader an opportunity to repeat a series of platform promises to win votes in the May 9 election.

It was the first debate of a campaign that has Clark seeking a second term as premier while the NDP’s John Horgan and Green leader Andrew Weaver mount a challenge to end the Liberals’ 16-year reign.

Within minutes of the debate’s start, Horgan and Clark got into an exchange after the Liberal leader claimed the NDP’s platform was not fully costed and will leave British Columbians with “a $6 billion hole.” Clark also accused the NDP of planning to roll medical services plan premiums into the tax system and to almost double the carbon tax, which Horgan denied.

“Whenever she gets in a corner, she makes stuff up and this is why British Columbians have no confidence in the B.C. Liberals,” Horgan told moderator Bill Good in the debate organized by News1130 and held at City TV studios near the former Olympic Village. The debate was livestreamed on Facebook.

Throughout the 90-minute contest, Horgan and Clark frequently talked over each other and argued while Weaver -- although critical of the Liberals’ record -- did not interrupt either of his rivals.

‘Disrespectful and rude’

Weaver told reporters after the debate he preferred to focus on the Greens’ platform and “didn’t want to get into the petty bickering” or sound bites. He said it was not his style and found the exchanges between Horgan and Clark “disrespectful and rude.”

Clark focused her comments on the economy, saying 220,000 jobs were created since 2011, that B.C. has the lowest unemployment rate in the country and projects such as the construction of the Massey Bridge to connect Richmond and Delta will create 14,000 jobs.

“In this last four years, British Columbia has really got on a roll – we’re just getting started and we don’t want to end that,” said Clark, who pointed out the Liberals balanced five consecutive budgets.

Horgan accused the Liberals of raising B.C. Hydro and Insurance Corporation of B.C. rates and premiums for the medical services plan. He blamed the Liberals for clogged emergency departments and called education “a disaster,” referring to the disputes between teachers and the government.

“Life’s not as affordable today as it was 16 years ago,” he said.

‘Mean-spirited policies’

Weaver also focused on affordability, saying housing in the province became unaffordable under Clark’s watch.He laid the blame on the Liberals’ relationship with big business.

“We’ve had 16 years [with the Liberals] of mean-spirited policies that have put corporate donors and those who have ahead of those who do not have,” he said. “We’ve seen growing income disparity between those who have and those who haven’t, and that’s wrong.”

Weaver said the Greens would double the 15 per cent foreign buyers’ tax for Metro Vancouver and spread it across the entire province. The Greens would also reduce the property transfer tax for people who buy homes that cost less than $1 million. Clark touted her previous government's homebuyers' plan, which offers personal loans to first-time homebuyers, as a program to help people afford housing.

On the issue of tolling bridges, Clark repeated her party’s promise to cap tolls at $500 a year per person. Weaver said polls were “good policy” while Horgan repeated that tolls would be wiped out under an NDP government – a promise Clark seized on several times during the debate, saying the NDP would “raid our kids’ savings account” by using the so-called $500 million prosperity fund to make up for lost toll revenue. Clark said the money for the fund comes from “non-renewable resources.”

“My parents would never have done that to me, and I think most of us would never want to do that to our kids,” Clark said.

‘Calm down, John’

At one point during the exchange about tolls, Clark reached out and touched Horgan’s arm, telling him to “calm down, John.” Horgan, who told Clark not touch him again, asked reporters after the debate: “What would the response been had I laid my hand on the premier? That’s all I’ve got to say about that. I’m going to leave it to your own speculation on how that would have gone.”

Clark told reporters she and Horgan were colleagues in the B.C. legislature. So, Clark added, she said she sees both Horgan and Weaver in that light.

“I have to say, I’m a little bit surprised he took it that way,” she said. “It certainly wasn’t how it was intended.”

Some people following the debate on social media called Horgan "angry John" and "Hulk Horgan" to describe his behaviour. Horgan responded, saying he was "passionate and passionate about people." He said Clark was taking liberty with the facts, so he challenged her on the issues.

"I think that people turning into debates like this want to see passion, they want to see someone rise up when they see injustice, or when they hear mistruths -- and that's what I did," he told reporters. 

The leaders also clashed over child care, marijuana and the medical services plan, with Clark saying her government would cut costs in half in January for households earning under $120,000. As the economy grows, Clark added, then the government would eliminate premiums altogether.

Horgan said the NDP will first cut in half premiums in January and then phase out the premiums “over the lifetime of our mandate.” The Greens will eliminate premiums by rolling them into the payroll tax and personal income tax.

Sale of marijuana

The NDP wants to bring in $10-a-day child care, the Greens promise free childcare for children under three years old and the Liberals say they will build more childcare spaces.

The debate occurred on April 20, which is also known as 4/20 for the thousands of marijuana enthusiasts who participated in a large demonstration at Sunset Beach.

Weaver mentioned the event in response to a radio listener’s question about how each leader would handle the implementation of legalization of marijuana, which the federal government has promised will happen next summer.

Weaver said he supports the “craft cannabis” industry and said he envisioned it being similar to craft breweries, where consumers could have their choice of marijuana instead of multi-national corporations dominating the market.

“This is a bit like saying, ‘What do you want – Labatt’s Blue or Molson Canadian, or would you rather have your local craft beer?” he said. “I think most people would rather have their local craft beer.”

He stressed there would need to be education about keeping marijuana out of the hands of young people and that it be properly regulated.

Clark said she doesn’t want to see marijuana sold in liquor stores, whereas Horgan wasn't definitive on whether his government would do the same, saying his party has also consulted with pharmacies.

The leaders’ next debate goes April 26 on CBC Television. It begins at 6:30 p.m.

mhowell@vancourier.com

@Howellings