Industry is front and centre for Cariboo North candidates with Liberal candidate Coralee Oakess calling on John Horgan and Scott Elliott to tell residents why, she says, they’re siding with a man who stood with US President Donald Trump as he attacked Canada’s forestry sector.
“The BC NDP have some serious explaining to do,” Oakes said.
“The man financing John Horgan’s campaign stood with Donald Trump and applauded while he attacked B.C. forestry workers.”
“Christy Clark has been all over the map on softwood,” Elliott said.
“She calls Trump a ‘builder’ and someone we can reach a deal with - yet she has not visited Washington to meet with the administration. New Democrats have been, and will continue to be, on the side of workers. We’ve lost countless jobs in the Cariboo under this government, it’s not acceptable.”
The Liberals pointed to the NDP’s affiliation with the American Steelworkers, noting a sizeable donation to Horgan. After their comment, the NDP said Premier Christy Clark was simply “grandstanding” and highlighted donations to their campaign from “US lumber barons.”
“The BC NDP has a great forestry plan to bring back the 30,000 jobs lost under the Liberals,” Elliott said.
“We’re going to use B.C. logs to create B.C. jobs, and we’re going to build B.C. using B.C. wood. That way we’re creating good jobs in our communities, and we’re less reliant on the US and these deals.”
“We’ve heard talk of how they have a forestry plan,” Oakes said. “But what exactly is their plan? Where are they on standing up for recurse jobs?”
“Horgan and his candidate have thrown in the towel on getting a softwood deal, and now we know why they’re standing by their union friends funding their campaign instead of B.C. workers,” added Oakes. “Whose side are John Horgan and Scott Elliott really on?”