High school students had a chance to meet with local provincial candidates and question them on topics such as education, poverty and the environment.
Ballenas Secondary School’s Interact Club organized the event for Parksville-Qualicum candidates on Thursday, which saw B.C. NDP’s Sue Powell, B.C. Liberal incumbent Michelle Stilwell and B.C. Green Party candidate Glenn Sollitt attend.
The morning began with the candidates presenting a clear distinction between each of their overall views in opening statements.
Sollitt began, saying he is running because he fears B.C. may be on the same path as the U.S. with two entrenched parties. He said they are beholden to special interests groups, whereas the Green Party is funded by individuals and so are responsible only to their constituents.
Stilwell agreed that an MLA’s job is toward constituents. She said she feels the best way to move the province forward is by growing the economy, creating jobs, keeping taxes low and living within a budget.
Powell described her life as an uneducated mother working several jobs. After a rough start, she was able to go back to school, earn a degree in social work, and become a City of Parksville councillor. She said she could accomplish all this thanks to the social safety net keeping her and her family going, and said that’s why she’s running with the NDP.
Next came three prepared questions from the event’s moderator, graduating class president Erica Friesen, followed by a open question period.
Friesen’s questions focused on education funding, child poverty and the Site C dam, with student questions following up mostly on those themes.
Stillwell defended her party on education, saying B.C. has had a shrinking student population over the last 15 years, but the education budget has still grown. She acknowledged the Supreme Court decision giving back teacher’s right to bargain on class size and composition, adding the government must come to the table with teachers as collaborators rather than skeptics.
Powell said her party wants to re-evaluate the per-pupil funding scheme, and provide millions more dollars for textbooks, playgrounds, school supplies and professional development for teachers.
Sollitt said a good education system shouldn’t be a result of a good economy. It should work in reverse. He said his party wants to spend millions more dollars on education, give free day care for children under three years old, and have 25 hours a week of early education for children 3-4 years old.
On poverty, Powell discussed increasing the minimum wage to $15, providing $100 more a month for people on income assistance, and providing a clothing allowance for things like interviews.
Sollitt said, in the long term, the Green Party wants to install a minimum annual income, but on the short term, said support for education, affordable housing and child care would get both parents into the workforce.
Stilwell reiterated her party’s focus on creating jobs, adding that B.C. has seen its child poverty rate decrease, and said she would expand a program aimed at helping working single parents access training.
Friesen said she was impressed with all three of the candidates’ answers to student questions.
“Their answers were well-thought-out and really did address the student’s questions. There was no curving or avoiding the question. They went straight on and answered them,” Friesen said.
