Monday September 23, 2024 | VICTORIA, BC [Updated at 8:30 pm]
BC ELECTION CAMPAIGN DAY 3 of 28
Political analysis by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Your 28-day voter’s guide for BC Election 2024
Tonight the BC election campaign in Victoria-Beacon Hill features an All Candidates Meeting that is sure to set the local political stage on fire!
On the hot seat for questions will be Grace Lore (BC NDP), Sonia Furstenau (BC Green), and Timothy Thielmann (BC Conservative).
Heavy-hitters in the legislature:
The big battle in Victoria-Beacon Hill is Grace Lore as the BC NDP candidate up against BC Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau, who recently relocated to the downtown riding. In the race there is also Timothy Thielmann, BC Conservative candidate.
- Lore has been the Minister of Children and Family Development (MCFD) this year under Premier David Eby, taking on a tough high-profile portfolio in an election year. She previously served as Minister of State for Child Care and Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity.
- Furstenau and the Greens have been critical of family welfare policy and action/inaction by the province in recent years. Lore ended up as MCFD Minister in 2024 because of pressures brought to bear upon the overall government by the BC Greens in the Legislative Assembly, and upon then-MCFD Minister Mitzi Dean who is not seeking re-election in this Fall 2024 election.
- Thielmann is a lawyer who has specialized in First Nations issues.
Furstenau in Victoria:
Furstenau used to live in the Fairfield area of Victoria before relocating to the Cowichan Valley where she launched her provincial-level political career. And this year Furstenau returned to Victoria to run in Victoria-Beacon Hill and says she’s glad to be home.
As leader of a provincial party her impact up against a BC NDP candidate and cabinet minister who is strongly supported by her party, Furstenau and the full BC Green Party will be giving it there best shot to win a key downtown riding (formerly held by BC NDP Deputy Premier and Finance Minister Carole James who is a longtime friend of the former Premier John Horgan).
Tonight’s all candidate’s meeting:
By the time a fulsome Monday-night (Sunday-style) dinner was finished, over 200 people in the gymnasium of Fernwood Neighbourhood House were waiting to hear from the three candidates. The moderator presented general topics like housing, child care and affordability which Lore, Furstenau and Thielmann answered in alternate turn.
Given the local crowd — including families, youth and seniors — the candidates were asked to elaborate on their feelings about community in general, and the Fernwood neighbourhood in particular.
It was evident that the room held a three-way split of views — NDP, Green and Conservative. Some supported the government led approaches to housing, child care and neighbourhood social support programs (NDP and to some extent Green) while others favoured the view that individuals and businesses should be allowed to guide the market (Conservative).
Less talk by the moderator and more time for candidates to answer questions would likely have been appreciated by most in the room.
Questions from the audience were then read out by the moderator.
===== RELATED:
- Mitzi Dean pulls out of election 2024 (August 31, 2024)
- Furstenau takes BC Green fight to downtown Victoria (February 1, 2024)
- NEWS SECTIONS: BC 2024 PROVINCIAL ELECTION | 28-DAY CAMPAIGN CALENDAR