Tuesday July 30, 2024 | VICTORIA, BC [Updated 3 pm with BC NDP comment]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
BC United MLA Teresa Wat (Richmond North Centre) says she wants to serve British Columbia, not any particular party. For this, she has now chosen the BC Conservatives in the riding of Richmond-Bridgeport.
“I need to join a party where I can be serving British Columbians,” said Wat, essentially saying she believes the BC Conservatives could form government or at least a strong official opposition.
“The BC Conservatives can beat the BC NDP. That’s why I made this decision,” said Wat about leaving the BC United behind.
Wat says her constituents tell her she must win, and to be with a party that can achieve that.
Wat says her work in politics is “a political mission, not a career”. She says Rustad “provides hope for British Columbia” because he “listens”.
BC Conservatives Leader John Rustad introduced Wat as a candidate for his growing party roster, at an announcement in Richmond in the BC Lower mainland area today.
Bruce Banman (MLA incumbent candidate for Abbotsford South) and Elenore Sturko, MLA (running in Surrey-Cloverdale) attended in person for the press conference. Steve Kooner, candidate for Richmond-Queensborough, could not attend but was indicated as being in full support.
“So many great things happening in every corner for us,” said Rustad.
Rustad said some of the “real issues” are seen in Richmond including “drugs and how angry this is making people in the community”. He said that decriminalization and safe supply are “damaging the community”. He added: “People are struggling to feel safe to be out in the community.”
“Crime is an issue across the province,” says Rustad. “It’s something we’re going to be very strong on,” he said today.
“Health-care is on the verge of collapse,” said Rustad, while itemizing ER closures and wait times that are “well beyond what is acceptable”.
“In Richmond people feel we need significant change. So we can attract and retain the doctors that we need,” said Rustad today.
The BC Conservatives leader says that Richmond Bridgeport is “a very important community for us — a bell-weather in terms of provincial politics”.
Not an easy decision:
“This was not an easy decision but one I have been contemplating for many months.” said Wat today.
She has been the MLA For Richmond-North Centre for the last 11 years.
One issue she says she hears “everyday all day” is that the “BC NDP must be defeated in the next election”, adding “the cost to our society and economy is far too high. The best party to defeat the NDP is the BC Conservative Party.”
Wat has served as Shadow Minister for Multiculturalism, Anti-Racism Initiatives, Arts and Culture.
BC NDP comment:
In response to the floor-crossing by BC United MLA Teresa Wat over to the BC Conservatives, the BC NDP issued a statement this afternoon regarding what they’re calling “the BC Liberal record of cuts” and that she “joins her longtime BC Liberal colleague John Rustad”:
“It’s never been more clear that the BC Conservative record is the BC Liberal record,” it was stated in a BC NDP news release issued at 1:38 pm today.
“Whatever name John Rustad and Teresa Wat go by today, they’re the same people” who made these cuts or impacts to raise the cost of living for British Columbians, says BC NDP:
- health-care
- MSP fee hikes, ICBC rate increases, levying of bridge tolls
- housing market speculation leading to soaring housing costs
Election action:
It is normal for an MLA to download voter list information from Elections BC, Rustad pointed out. The BC United Party has been challenging Wat in public for obtaining that list.
It is about 80 days to the October 19, 2024 election. The BC Conservatives candidate tally is now 76 across 93 ridings. The BC NDP will have 93 candidates. The BC United team currently has 55 candidates and the BC Greens candidate tally is 18.
Recently the polls have shown about an even split between BC NDP and BC Conservatives if an election were held today. Before that, for several months, the BC NDP were in the lead in polls. Polls are just a snapshot in time and may not reflect how people actually vote when in the privacy of the ballot box.
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