With the provincial election writ drop just days away, it was teenagers who got the first shot on Thursday at some of the local election candidates.
The entire student body of approximately 600 kids poured into the Mt. Slesse Middle school gym to hear from BC Liberal candidate and incumbent Laurie Throness, NDP candidate Patti MacAhonic and Green Party candidate Wayne Froese.
Humanities teacher Eldon McLeod organized the event as part of the nationwide Student Vote program to teach students about government and the electoral process.
“if we can do this now, they are way more likely to vote when they turn 18,” McLeod said after the event Thursday.
With the full student body in the gym, it was a younger and considerably larger crowd facing the candidates than at most public meetings.
Throness and MacAhonic are running in the Chilliwack-Kent riding, while Froese is running in the Chilliwack riding.
Not in attendance was Chilliwack BC Liberal candidate John Martin, Chilliwack NDP candidate Tracy O’Hara or Green candidate for Chilliwack-Kent, Josie Bleuer.
The format of the meeting had McLeod ask the candidates a few questions, followed by questions from students.
The pre-voting age youngsters asked questions about real estate and first-time homebuyers, and how the candidates would make post-secondary tuition more affordable.
On the real estate question, Throness pointed to the first-time homebuyers program and the 15 per cent foreign buyers tax.
“The best way we can help is by providing a good economy so you can find high paying jobs,” he added.
MacAhonic said the loopholes need to be closed to real estate speculators who are driving prices up.
As for tuition, MacAhonic said education needs to be affordable and that it’s important the opportunity is provided, but she pointed to no specific NDP policies to do so.
“I think we have a really good plan in place to make sure tuition is affordable for all of you,” she said.
Throness said the government’s announcement in the recent budget to reduce the interest paid on student loans to prime make costs more affordable. He added that there are more scholarships available than ever, then he pointed to his own solution.
“I spent 13 years in post-secondary education and I worked my way through school,” he said. “So when I had to pay tuition I would take a semester out and I would work my way through so I would [recommend] that to you as a way to make school more affordable.”
Froese responded that the province should look at international models where, in some countries, tuition is free for students.
“I think that is the key,” he said. “We need to look at how we can replicate programs we are seeing in other countries because . . . we shouldn’t have to worry about how much interest a student is paying, we should look at how to fund that so students don‘t have to worry about that in the first place.”
Other questions asked by McLeod focused on homelessness and addiction, future job opportunities and the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.
On the pipeline, Froese and MacAhonic pointed to their parties opposition to the project. Throness pointed to his support based on what he said was risk analysis.
As for jobs, Throness said the economy has boomed under the BC Liberal government, although MacAhonic and Froese talked about the increase in part-time jobs and precarious employment.
The official election campaign begins with the writ drop on April 11 and the vote is on May 9.
Future meetings:
April 19 – Public all-candidates meeting hosted by the Chilliwck Child and Youth Committee at Chilliwack Secondary School (CSS) from 10 a.m. to noon
April 25 – Public meeting hosted by Chilliwack Healthier Community at 9 a.m. also at CSS
April 26 – Private meeting hosted by the Rotary Club of Chilliwack at noon at the Best Western Rainbow Country Inn.
April 27 – Public meeting hosted by the Chilliwack Chamber of Commerce at 12:20 p.m. at the Best Western.
April 29 – Public meeting for Chilliwack-Kent candidates hosted by the Cultus Lake Community Association at 10:30 a.m. in the gym at the Cultus Lake Community School.
paul.henderson@theprogress.com
@PeeJayAitch
