Kamloops candidates come together for in-person election forum

Photo: Tereza Verenca

From left, the Kamloops-North Thompson candidates: Dennis Giesbrecht (BC Conservative), Peter Milobar (BC Liberal), Thomas Martin (BC Green), Sadie Hunter (BC NDP) and Brandon Russell (Independent).

An in-person, all-candidates forum at the DoubleTree by Hilton in downtown Kamloops Monday night was what you'd expect in a pandemic. 

The event, hosted by the local chamber of commerce and Kamloops This Week, saw all the MLA hopefuls in both the Kamloops-North Thompson and Kamloops-South Thompson ridings answer a series of questions. Topics ranged from the opioid crisis and forestry to the Ajax Mine and overcrowding in schools. 

The election forum was live streamed to Facebook (and on Zoom). Candidates spoke from their own podiums (which were spaced more than two metres apart), and looked into a camera when answering. Kamloops-North Thompson candidates went first (between 7 and 8 p.m.), followed by Kamloops-South Thompson candidates, who debated from 8 to 9 p.m.

Meanwhile, the few media and party supporters in the room all wore masks.

"It’s been a very strange election. It’s upside down," said Todd Stone, the BC Liberal incumbent running on the Kamloops-South Thompson ballot, in his closing remarks.

"It’s unlike any that I’ve ever been involved in as a candidate or a volunteer. It’s been very challenging to engage with voters in the same way that we were used to previously but I think all candidates and their campaigns are doing the absolute best that they can on that front," he continued.

Opioid crisis 

When asked what's one thing the provincial government can do that's currently not being done on the opioid file, BC Liberal incumbent Peter Milobar pointed to the newly promised Foundry Centre for Kamloops. Such a facility would offer young people, ages 12 to 24, primary care, youth and family peer support, walk-in counselling, mental health and substance use services and more.

"We really do need to start getting at the root problems of these situations," he said, calling the opioid crisis "one of the most critical health crises that we're facing."

Green representative Thomas Martin cited a report by Dr. Bonnie Henry, titled "Stopping the Harm: Decriminalization of People Who Use Drugs in B.C." The report makes that case that the decriminalization of people who possess illegal drugs for personal use could help curb the overdose crisis.

Sadie Hunter, who's carrying the BC NDP banner, said the government needs to find an effective way to reach people who are using alone in their homes, and "normalize the conversation."

"I think the one thing we're not talking about in this forum that I've heard is... the majority of the overdose deaths that happen are not necessarily ones that are as visible in our streets," she said, noting she's in favour of decriminalization as well.

Independent Brandon Russell said the government should have more mental health supports on the frontlines to detect the early signs of people turning to opioids and other drugs. 

BC Conservative Dennis Giesbrecht said an increase in services (like treatment beds) is needed, especially outside the major metropolitan centres.

"The easiest way to avoid an overdose is not to do drugs at all," he said. "If we help people and give them the support and services to get off drugs, that's the quickest way to save their lives."

Forestry

All candidates were asked about what their party's plan is for forestry in B.C.

Dan Hines, running for the Greens in Kamloops-South Thompson, said government needs to look at how it reforms tenure. He referenced a "corporate takeover of our forest."

"Our forest industry is one of our tragic stories. It's been just mill after mill closing, losing jobs, and there's lots of different things you could look to: automation, super mills. I think one of the big issues is we've got five companies who have basically swallowed up all the competition left in B.C. ... I think we need to look at First Nations ownership and involvement in these licences. What we basically have to look at is that communities need to benefit again from the forest," Hines said in his answer. 

Stone said a BC Liberal government would reform the stumpage system, one that is calculated on a monthly basis instead of an annual basis.

The NDP's Anna Thomas said government needs to "collaborate, cooperate and create" dialogue with community members, forestry workers, and government-to-government tables involving Indigenous groups. 

"We definitely need long-term planning to save our forests," she said.

Ajax Mine

The candidates were asked if they would support or oppose a new Ajax Mine proposal.

Last month, it was announced a new Ajax superintendent had been hired by one of the companies behind the proposed mine, "with the goal of re-engaging the community on the project." 

The province rejected the mining proposal in December 2017. At the time, the environmental assessment office wrote “taken as a whole, the potential, and in many cases significant, adverse effects of the Ajax project outweighed the potential benefits.”

Noting he doesn't agree with politicizing the answer, Giesbrecht said the company has a right to apply.

"We need to let the knowledgeable people and the regulatory boards in British Columbia approve or deny this and keep it out of the hands of politicians," he said.

Unless there's been some significant changes in the proposal "to make it different and sustainable in some way," Hunter said the company has already gone through the process.

"I don't know what they could do to change it in a way that would make it acceptable," the local city councillor said.

"It's quite difficult to support or oppose a project before you actually see the project. If it was a resubmission of the exact same proposal, I'd oppose it," Martin answered. "But I want to see the proposal. I want to see what's changed. I want to see that the City of Kamloops is involved. I want to see the Secwepemc involved in that decision. This isn't just a provincial decision. This is not something that MLAs on their own should be approving or denying. You have to get the experts involved. You have to get the local communities involved."

Milobar echoed his competitors sentiments, stating it's not up to an MLA to decide if the project should go ahead or not.

He expressed that the hurdles a second proposal would face—after being rejected—would be "massive."

"It would have to be majorly reworked," Milobar said, adding buy-in would be needed from local First Nations.

"The reality of the situation is I don't think we'll see a viable project moving forward for quite some time. That said, the rocks aren't going anywhere and if commodity prices shoot through the roof, some other company will probably try taking a run at it and they are going to have a very high standard that they would have to convince a regulatory body to get approval for."

Who would you vote for?

The last question of the evening wasn't about policy or a specific issue. Rather, "Which candidate would you vote for (not including yourself) and why?"

Here's what each candidate had to say:

• Thomas Martin's answer: Sadie Hunter; "I've been very impressed with her as a person."
   
• Peter Milobar's answer: Brandon Russell; "I know he's been heavily engaged in politics in Kamloops for quite some time. For a young gentlemen to advance his passion the way he has right now, it's no easy feat to try to run for any office... I have a lot of respect for that."
   
• Dennis Giesbrecht's answer: Brandon Russell; "I can read all the brochures from the NDP, the Greens and the Liberals and have a pretty good idea of what they're going to say. Brandon is the only one that brings a truly unique view point to this conversation."
   
• Brandon Russell's answer: Dennis Giesbrecht; "I'm the person who doesn't vote with party. I vote for people over party."
   
• Sadie Hunter's answer: Brandon Russell; "I have so much respect for somebody so young, 19 years old, putting themselves out there, very well-spoken... such a big heart."
   
• Dan Hines' answer: Anna Thomas; "I have deep concern about the BC Liberal plan to eliminate the sales tax and put us $10 billion into deficit. (It'll) impoverish the government in a time of a pandemic."
   
• Anna Thomas' answer: Dan Hines; "I met Dan Hines a few years back when he was running and I'm all about vibes and he's got a good vibe."
   
• Todd Stone's answer: Dan Hines; "I think there's a tremendous overlap in the personal values that he has, the issues that he's made a priority and those that are very near and dear to me."

You can watch the full election forum below.

Election Day in B.C. is this Saturday (Oct. 24). Visit Elections BC to learn where to vote.