Here are some BC leaders’ live debate highlights from Tuesday night

The BC leaders’ debate took place on Wednesday night as the provincial election draws nearer.

In the debate, leaders of the three major political parties went head to head on some of the key issues facing the province. 

Incumbent and BC NDP leader David Eby was positioned between BC Green Party leader Emily Lowan and Conservative Party of BC leader Lorne Doerkson for the debate. 

OneBC and CentreBC were not involved in this debate due to not meeting criteria necessary to take part in the debate. 

Some of the topics discussed in the near two-hour debate included leadership, affordability, auto insurance, LNG production, Indigenous rights, housing and more. 

Here are some highlights of the leaders’ debate:

Leadership

When asked why each candidate should be premier, Doerkson led off saying if he were elected he would do everything in his power to “supercharge the economy,” referring specifically to LNG and natural gas sectors. 

The topic of conversation quickly shifted to Eby and Doerkson arguing about members of their respective caucuses, campaign teams and candidates in relation to their conduct and past comments that were allegedly hateful. 

Eby did not make a case during this section as to why he should be premier, but Lowan, who was quiet during this argument, was afforded the opportunity to speak on the matter. 

Lowan said that the debate between Eby and Doerkson was giving her deja vu from the 2024 election. She said that her party’s vision is one free of controversy that could help lead the Province to prosperity. 

The economy

Doerkson was asked what services he would cut in order to get the Province’s economy back under control. 

He stated that he would commit to fully funding healthcare, saying the cuts he would make were to red tape and bureaucracy. He also spoke again to growing industries such as forestry and LNG. 

Lowan was asked how a green economy could replace one that is resource-fuelled. She pointed to the shrinking of resource revenues, with the BC NDP providing funding to sectors that are not generating enough for the economy. 

“We aren’t seeing a path forward from these parties on sustainable forestry,” Lowan said. 

“We know we can keep more jobs and more profits in BC if we actually have communities take the reins and build value-added products here in BC, whereas these raw logs are being shipped abroad for the profit of foreign shareholders.”

Eby was asked where all the money his government spent has gone with the deficit in the condition it is in. 

He pointed to the Liberal government before his and the cuts they made to education in particular, noting that his government has been working to increase funding for more schools to be established. 

Eby also noted the hospitals and expansions his government has invested in and stated that if elected, his government would address wasteful spending and build the economy. 

He also criticized the BC Conservatives’ platform and the amount of spending their plan would require, asking where this funding would come from. 

“We know what the BC Conservatives do when they need money—they cut,” said Eby. 

In open debate, the leaders were asked how long it would take to clear the Province’s deficit.

Lowan said her BC Greens have a three-to-five year plan. 

She said her plan centres on a one-time tax on BC’s ultra-wealthy and corporations that could bring in $22.2 billion. 

Eby pointed to a new tax on those reporting over an income of over $1 million, which Doekson and Lowan took issue with because very few BC residents report making over that amount. 

The BC NDP leader also noted that the BC income tax for those who make below $150,000 is the lowest in Canada and the second lowest in the country for those who make over $200,000. 

Cost of living

Lowan was asked about her promises for free transit, more $10-a-day childcare, non-market housing and higher assistance rates and how she planned on financing these endeavours. 

The BC Greens leader pointed again to the proposed one-time tax on the ultra-wealthy, in which those who have a fortune of $50 million and up would pay a 5% tax on that wealth once. 

This would be followed up with an marginal annual tax which would generate around $5.4 billion per year. 

“This is exactly what we need to rein in BC’s deficit,” said Lowan. 

Eby was asked about why the BC NDP have still not delivered on universal $10-a-day childcare and why his government has paused the program’s expansion while his own family has access to the program but so many others do not.

He responded by saying he does have access but pays the difference of funds to a local non-profit because it does not feel right to have access when others do not. 

Eby then pointed to the BC Conservatives and criticized their party for wanting to cancel the program altogether. 

He also said his party’s financial plan includes a new tax bracket for those who make more than $1 million per year and higher taxes for those who make more than $190,000 annually—money which he says would be used to expand services. 

Doerkson was asked about his plan to cancel BC’s “No-Fault” auto insurance system, and voters’ concerns about having to pay more for insurance if the system is abandoned. 

He said he is committed to keeping prices competitive but believes that people should be able to sue and be compensated if injured or if family members are killed. 

The BC Conservatives leader was also asked about a plan for a basic personal tax exemption rate which could deprive the Province of up to $4 billion and if there will be strings attached. 

He said his tax structure would provide a break to taxpayers in the short term and that the money given to residents through this plan would end up being spent and coming back to the Province. 

Housing

Doerkson was asked what he would try to do to improve housing affordability that hasn’t been attempted yet. 

To this he said the Province’s Step Code, which ensures builders are adhering to energy-efficient standards, needs to be reviewed. 

He also pointed to repealing policy that dictates how municipalities build. 

Lowan was asked how her plan relates to homeowners who are relying on their home to be a financial asset. 

She noted that many in her generation cannot even imagine buying a home, viewing it as impossible compared to generations past. 

Lowan also brought up how her party would look out for renters through policies that would protect tenants from having rent increased exponentially between vacancies. 

She also pointed to how her party would restart the Community Housing Fund and build social housing. 

Eby was asked about whether he is looking out for British Columbians or real estate executives after he bailed out developers who had properties sitting vacant. 

He said that although he knows not every BC resident is feeling it yet, there has been momentum in lowering the cost of housing and rent. 

Eby pointed to a new tax he would bring in on homes that are not sold within a year, forcing developers to bring down the costs of homes to a price that British Columbians can afford. 

Lowan criticized Eby for cancelling the Community Housing Fund which has frozen the development of hundreds of homes throughout BC. 

Eby said that despite cancelling the program, there are still social housing projects coming, though his opponents noted they did not see this promise in the BC NDP platform. 

Doerkson spoke to how his platform would benefit seniors. 

Healthcare

Lowan noted that Eby’s government has not fulfilled their promise to connect all BC residents to family doctors. 

She also said her party would bring in community-based preventative healthcare centres into every riding to have access to healthcare, shifting from the urgent and primary care centres.  

Eby was asked about how many interpret his track record on healthcare as a failure. To this he said if there’s one issue that makes him lie awake at night, and that is healthcare. 

The BC NDP leader noted that his opponent’s plans are ambitious and expensive, then noted how his plan to bring in doctors from the United States has been improving the situation in BC. 

His plan is to triple this effort of bringing in US doctors, if elected. 

Eby also pointed to the new medical school his government has underway, and questioned whether the BC Conservatives would cancel this project. 

Doerkson was asked directly whether he would rule in, or rule out bringing in privatized healthcare. 

He said he wants to provide more funding to the public healthcare system, but did not specifically say whether he would support a two-tier system. 

Doerkson also spoke to increasing security in hospitals. 

All three leaders were asked about how long-term care can keep up with the aging population.

Lowan said this matter is critical, and noted that Eby’s government has made cuts to long-term care. She wants to allow seniors to age in place in their home through wraparound care. 

Eby agreed with Lowan that more at-home care needs to be funded, and admitted that his government had some long-term care projects that went massively over budget and were cancelled. 

However, Eby said these conditions have stabilized and his government is working on new long-term care projects now. 

Doerkson said his party would help seniors by rolling back current BC NDP long-term care policies and providing tax cuts to low-income seniors. 

In open debate on the matter of healthcare, all three leaders criticized each other’s financial plans and how they planned to expand healthcare access with the revenues they are proposing to be able to bring in. 

Indigenous rights

This topic is in regards to the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA), which effectively ensures that all BC legislation is made in line with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). 

Eby was asked about private land ownership in Indigenous territories. 

The BC NDP leader admitted that there have been a couple challenging court cases surrounding the issue, but noted that it is crucial to partner with First Nations of BC. 

He said that his government has tried to protect private property, but that he wants to ensure that projects are still able to move forward. His government has been trying to amend DRIPA. 

Doerkson has said that he would outright repeal DRIPA, which was unanimously approved when it passed, with members of his own caucus voting in favour of it. 

When asked about the political conflict and ensuing court cases with First Nations, Doerkson said that he stands by repealing the act. 

His position is that it has created division, and wants Indigenous relations to be unregulated. 

Lowan was asked if the BC Greens would support any changes to DRIPA. 

To this she said First Nations leaders have been unequivocal in saying that implementing DRIPA is of the utmost importance.

She says any uncertainty on DRIPA has stemmed from the BC NDP-led government and its communications surrounding amendments they wanted to make. 

Lowan also said that the BC Conservatives have been lying and fear-mongering around this issue. 

“DRIPA has no bearing on private property, it sets out the rules for government,” she said. 

Public safety

On public safety, Doerkson was asked how he plans to fund the more police officers, recovery beds, prosecutors and mental health support that he has promised. And he was specifically asked what he was willing to cut to finance these initiatives. 

Doerkson said he wants to support both residents and those who are unhoused and dealing with additions with a “robust treatment plan,” but did not answer the question on how he would fund his promises. 

Eby was asked what new action he could take that has not been tried to help people feel more safe. 

The BC NDP leader pointed to efforts that have been undertaken by his government, then noted that his government would implement involuntary recovery for unhoused individuals dealing with addictions. 

Lowan was asked about her harm-reduction focused platform. 

She said that seeing the reality of the situation in Victoria is troubling, but that she does not believe the solution is throwing them in a “jail cell” as Eby is suggesting through involuntary care. 

She also noted that the BC Supreme Court has ruled involuntary care as unconstitutional. 

Lowan’s position is that increasing a harm-reduction approach will help people cease committing crimes of desperation and allow them to recover with dignity. 

Governance

The leaders were next asked how they intended on working together. 

Eby was specifically asked if he were to win a minority government, but needed the assistance of another party to pass legislation, what matters he was willing to compromise on. 

He said he will respect whatever British Columbians decide on voting day, and that he is willing to work with other parties. 

However, he did note that he believes it will be hard to work with “this iteration” of the BC Conservatives. 

Doerkson was asked about the candidates his party brought back into the fold after they had left. 

He stated his party is unified and wants to work with partners, stakeholders and other parties in the legislature. 

Lowan was asked about ridings in which the vote was split between her party and the BC NDP, which resulted in BC Conservatives winning in the 2024 election.

She said that she believes this is the challenge of a predominantly two-party system. 

Lowan said her party has been pushing for proportional representation to avoid this kind of seat loss due to vote splitting. 

Last open debate and closing statements

Eby said his focus will be to implement policy to bring down costs, specifically in fuel and groceries. 

Doerkson focused on economic growth through resource extraction and was criticized for not specifying what services he would cut to lower the cost of living. 

Lowan said that her party would bring in public grocery stores to lower costs and drive down competition, along with bringing down childcare costs. 

In closing statement Lowan said the BC NDP have failed to deliver on promises and that the BC Conservatives have a lack of transparency around what they would cut.

For Eby’s closing statement, he led by admitting he and his government have not been perfect, but that they have always been committed to trying to bring down costs. 

Doerkson’s closing statement focused on jobs, economy, healthcare and seniors. 

Watch the full leaders’ debate online here.