Fraser-Nicola BC NDP candidate Harry Lali opened his campaign office on Wallace Street on April 19.
The opening also featured speeches from former 13-month Chilliwack-Hope MLA Gwen O’Mahony and Lali. Both sent the message of the many wrongdoings of the BC Liberals.
“There’s a few stories out there about B.C.’s strong economy, and you’re going to hear that from the Liberals, so I want to speak personally,” said O’Mahony.
O’Mahony said it takes, on average, nine months to a year to secure employment, which can be part-time and precarious.
O’Mahony said she had to move to Kamloops to find a job with Service Canada, after losing her seat. She highlighted that the EI department is expanding at a high rate.
“People area really suffering when they’re represented by a Liberal MLA,” said O’Mahony.
“And believe me, when Hope comes out to vote, you do get an NDP representative.”
Lali took the attack further. He vowed to “just take the fight to the Liberals and expose them for the corruption that they have perpertrated in British Columbia,” accusing the Liberals of being influenced by corporate dollars.
“MSP premiums have tripled, BC Hydro rates have tripled as well, tuition fees have quadrupled for those with children and grandchildren, and ICBC rates have doubled as well,” said Lali.
Lali highlighted the closure of the Tolko mill in Merritt and the closure of the J. S. Jones mill in Boston Bar as the result of the Liberals’ policies.
“The Liberals came in, changed the Forestry Act, they shut the mill down,” said Lali, referring to the J.S. Jones mill.
Lali said in his time an independent job protection commissioner saved mills around the province.
Lali slammed the Liberals for their management of hydro rates.
“The Liberals are buying … from these private power producers, at a rate anywhere from 10-15 cents a kilowatt hour, and they’re turning and selling it for seven cents,” said Lali. “Buy high, sell low.
“And how’s [the deficit] made up? By the rates of the ratepayers going up.”
In Lali’s speech, he highlighted a theme of how major downturns came about after the BC NDP left office, such as a temporary closure of the Ashcroft hospital’s emergency department. He slammed Christy Clark’s premiership, and also went for Fraser-Nicola MLA Jackie Tegart.
“You’ve got an ineffective MLA, who either doesn’t understand the job, or doesn’t have the courage to stand up to cabinet and to the Premier to say ‘No, not in my backyard,’ ” said Lali. “I’ve always spoken up, I’ve always stood up, I always go after the government, and sometimes I go after my own guys because it’s the people in the riding that elect you, not folks in Victoria.”