B.C. Conservative leader Lorne Doerkson hit the campaign trail in Surrey Sunday (Sept. 27) with an announcement promising no new taxes on British Columbians.
“I’m announcing that if I am premier, I will make the affordability crisis a top priority for our new government,” shared Doerkson.
Doerkson, along with Surrey candidates Trevor Halford, Mandeep Dhaliwal, Zeeshan Wahla and Megan Knight, began his campaign at Bridgeview Park, a place he shared was important to him because he grew up in the area.
“I was born in St. Mary’s Hospital, across the river, and I grew up playing in these parks. It was an absolutely amazing place to grow up,” Doerkson said, detailing how he also attended Bridgeview Elementary and did Cub Scouts in the area.
Doerkson moved to explaining a bit about himself, mentioning that his past is in business and therefore he knows what it takes to make a payroll and balance books.
He promised that a future Conservative government would help the economy by not raising taxes or introducing new taxes.
“When you don’t balance books, you cannot move ahead. In fact when you can’t balance books year after year, the problem is serious and the end is near,” said Doerkson.
“We are blessed with talent and resources and the most beautiful geography in the world, and yet our economy is struggling, our industries are in peril, and life has never been more expensive than it is today.”
A Conservative Party of B.C. press release targets multiple NDP moves that it says have hurt “working British Columbians,” including raising the lowest income tax rate from 5.06% to 5.60%. It also calls out the NDP for announcing an expansion of the 7% PST and eliminating several PST exemptions, then pausing the expansion on the eve of an election.
“And just last week, the answer from David Eby and the NDP to the housing affordability crisis was to hike yet another tax,” the release continues. “Brackets are also frozen through 2030 – a quiet tax hike that hits British Columbians every time their pay keeps up with inflation.”
Doerkson said “mismanagement” of the economy has resulted in a large deficit that isn’t getting the right attention from the NDP and David Eby.
“This is at a time when B.C. and Canada are facing a bully in Donald Trump and an administration that wants to weaken us and break us,” said Deorkson.
Doerkson also said the NDP has done nothing to fix some of the bigger problems such as crime, drugs, disorder on the streets, medical wait times and hospital emergency room closures.
“This cannot carry on. Over a million people in our province without a doctor. That challenge is real,” said Doerkson.
Doerkson said a hospital emergency room in Merritt is closed today (Sept. 27) and he is shocked that men and woman can be sent to the moon and yet B.C. can’t keep a hospital open.
“Something is fundamentally wrong with a system that allows this to continue week after week in this province,” said Doerkson.
He continued his point by saying that British Columbians are looking for a strong government to fight for the workers, people’s families and their rights.
“To bring some stability to British Columbia, we will commit to not raising taxes and we will not introduce new taxes,” said Doerkson. “As the premier, I will never allow our government to raise taxes on hardworking taxpayers in this great province.”
“We don’t need fancy solutions to fix this. We need to go back to basics,” stated Doerkson.
Doerkson also said he found the choice of David Eby calling a snap election “appalling” and “cynical” but also said he thinks the people want something new.
When asked about SOGI (sexual orientation and gender identity), same-sex marriage and abortion, Doerkson said SOGI needs to be repealed in schools.
“I respect abortion, I feel like it’s a woman’s choice,” Doerkson answered, saying he also is in favour of same-sex marriage but believes that SOGI has steered away from its original purpose.
“SOGI has become an absolute lightning rod for division in this province, and most people I talk to are extremely frustrated,” shared Doerkson.
He continues by saying that everyone he has spoken to in regards to SOGI have said they want to make sure their kids are safe within their schools.
“We have to provide that, but SOGI has to be repealed.”
Doerkson said the province needs to focus on the things that actually matter to British Columbians and explained he is prepared for that challenge.
The B.C. NDP sent out a release in response to Doerkson’s campaign stop.
“Doerkson’s first campaign commitment confirms healthcare to take the brunt of their cuts,” the NDP said in a release.
The release states that Doerkson falsely claimed that the B.C. NDP have “raised taxes against people that are least able to afford it.”
The NDP shares that a typical working family with an income of $100,000 now pays $3,000 less in taxes under the B.C. NDP then what they did under the B.C. Liberals. The release says British Columbians pay the lowest middle-class taxes in the country.
“The B.C. NDP has, however, asked the top 2% of earners, speculators, and owners of $3-million-plus houses to pay a bit more, so everyone else can pay less,” said the NDP.
The release says that Doerkson’s tax announcement today (Sept. 27) “confirms that the BC Conservatives would make deep cuts to healthcare to balance the budget.”
The NDP said the B.C Conservatives’ plan to “aggressively” cut the deficit will require new revenues and/or deep cuts to services.
The release notes that Doerkson’s commitment does not include car insurance or housing costs and says the B.C. Conservatives plan to cancel David Eby’s changes at ICBC would double car insurance rates.
“Doerkson also reiterated his plan today to scrap David Eby’s housing plan,” the NDP said in the release.
This includes the speculation tax and the new Unsold Condo Tax, which would drive up the cost of housing again and keep condos unaffordable for people, the NDP release says.
“David Eby and the BC NDP’s plan will lower costs for middle-class British Columbians, ensure those at the very top pay their fair share, and keep investing to strengthen healthcare.”