There are three candidates running in the Kamloops-North Thompson riding in this year’s provincial election. Black Press sent the same questions to each candidate, and the answers from Conservative Party of B.C. candidate Ward Stamer appeared last week. In this issue we give the answers provided by B.C. Green Party candidate Tristan Cavers and B.C. NDP candidate Maddi Genn.
MLA Candidate Questions for the Kamloops-North Thompson for the 2024 provincial election:
1. Who you are, what party are you running for and why have you decided to run for MLA this election?
2. What, in your view, is the biggest issue facing the Kamloops-North Thompson Riding? How would you address it?
3. There is a Canada-wide shortage of health care workers. With this in mind, how does your party propose to attract health care workers to come to this region, and then stay here, when they have their pick of jobs and locations?
4. Reconciliation with our First Nation neighbours has become a central focus of provincial and federal governments in recent years. What would you do as MLA to help further this process?
5. Given the climate-related disasters taking place around the world and in our region, what is your party’s plan to address the climate crisis and what role does the climate tax play in that (if any)?
6. How does your party propose to ensure that provincial legislation listens to, and takes into account, the very different needs of rural B.C. rather than being a "one size fits all" template designed with urban voters in mind?
Maddi Genn's replies:
1: I’m Maddi Genn, running with the B.C. NDP. Everything I love about my job in health care, and the work I do to support my coworkers and my community, is about helping people. I’m running for MLA because I see that my community needs more, and I know I can make that happen.
2: People are struggling right now. The high cost of living is on the top of everyone’s mind. Housing is expensive and we have seen a big jump in prices. People need support right now and that’s why David Eby is focused on helping people with costs. This includes our plan for a $1,000 boost for household budgets with a middle-class tax cut, each and every year.
3: We have come a long way in making sure there are enough health care workers, but there's still a long way to go, especially in rural communities. So far the NDP has hired more than 800 family doctors and 6,300 nurses in just the past year, and we are ensuring that health care workers are paid fairly and have improved working conditions. To address the needs in smaller communities, we have created an incentive program to bring health care workers directly to the rural communities that need them. John Rustad’s proposed $4 billion cuts to health care will not only stop this progress, but prevent future solutions.
4: Reconciliation with Indigenous communities is essential. We have made huge strides so far and are leading the country by funding on-reserve housing and by passing legislation to give First Nations control over child welfare. As MLA I will continue this work and ensure that Indigenous voices are part of the decision-making process. I am deeply concerned that John Rustad and the Conservatives are promising to undo all this work.
5: The BC NDP have been taking action on climate change: we can reduce our emissions while simultaneously improving our economy. This is not the time to stop our progress, or to dismiss climate change. Climate action is essential and that's one of the reasons I am running to represent Kamloops-North Thompson. I want to make sure we continue to see investments in wildfire safety, planning for droughts, and supporting our local farmers.
6: A huge reason I am running in Kamloops-North Thompson is because I'm passionate about being a voice for the needs of everyone in my community, and rural communities deserve to be heard. Rural communities across the province are all experiencing the challenges of not having access to essential services. The B.C. NDP has been working hard to improve services like high-speed internet, roads, hospitals, housing, and schools, and has been investing in the industries that help rural communities thrive, like forestry and mining. As the MLA for Kamloops-North Thompson, I want to make sure their work goes even further.
