B.C. Election: DRIPA, the environment and whats at stake for voters

British Columbia Premier David Eby had two years left in his mandate before he had to call an election. But on Sept. 22, he stepped up to the microphones in Victoria and blamed U.S. President Donald Trump for sending electors to the polls early. InFocus guest host Dennis Ward invited three Indigenous candidates on the episode to talk about the campaign. NDP candidate Leah Ballantyne (Abbotsford South) said the B.C. election is “really about leadership.” “Listening to the people of British Columbia and making sure that the cost of living and some of the other issues that are affecting British Columbia right now- these are global issues- were assessed that we can go forward as a government and make sure that we’re meeting the needs of all British Columbians,” she said. On the affordability issue, when asked why that couldn’t be done without an election, she said, “Again, this issue lies well beyond the jurisdiction of British Columbia.” “These are global impacts from global tariffs and tariff wars that are impacting everyday people at the grocery store, at the gas tank. It’s impacting all of us and we can definitely all feel the effect. Affordability at home will look at again some cost-cutting measures within the government for gas taxes.” Also joining the candidates panel was incumbent Conservative MLA Áʼa:líya Warbus (Chilliwack-Cultus Lake). The party was in disarray when the election was called. “The call for the unnecessary snap election that we now find ourselves in actually was one of the catalysts that allowed for our party to prioritize exactly what does unify us, what unifies our party on the high-level priorities that affect every day British Columbians,” she said. “We’ve always fought for resource development in British Columbia that’s responsible. That’s going to unlock the many opportunities that we have throughout B.C. to make our economy flow.” Leah Ballantyne, left, Anna Marie McKenzie and Áʼa:líya Warbus are running in the B.C. election. When pressed on her party’s pledge to repeal the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (DRIPA), Warbus said, “It’s not working.” “We need to find another approach. We need to make sure that whatever approach B.C. takes next, in terms of the framework that’s going to protect and uphold section 35 rights for Indigenous people, is going to allow for all boats to rise on the tide,” she said. “Everybody needs to prosper here. And we have to remember that when neighbors, we have a lot of economic development projects that are at stake, and we have so many different indigenous title claims that are overlapping, it’s confusing for the everyday person.” Anna Mary McKenzie is running under the Green Party banner in the Nanaimo-Gabriola riding and is taking on an NDP MLA who won convincingly in the last election. “I think a lot of people are upset that an election has been called in the midst of a municipal election, especially here in my riding of Nanaimo Gabriola,” she said. “It’s really confusing that people are going to the polls right now, and we have signs all over in this riding, and people are just confused. And they’re also upset that this is costing British Columbians upwards of $90 million to do this election.” The Green Party is pledging to stop fossil fuel development in a province where that industry is ramping up. “I see a lot of alignment between the Green Party’s plan and my teachings as a woman,” she said. “My dad and family are from the Cree Nation and Treaty 5 territory. I also live and work on unceded territory, and I have three children who are members of this First Nation, and I am just really concerned by the future that we’re leaving for them. “I’m a practitioner of looking seven generations behind and seven generations forward. And, you know, my kids are asking big questions about the future of the environment. And it’s looking very, very bleak. We need radical action and we need it now in order to protect this planet. Because, as the Greens say, and my kids like to say, we don’t have a planet B.” B.C. Election: DRIPA, the environment and what’s at stake for voters 32:41 Your browser does not support the audio element. Continue Reading