By Cheryl Jahn

Local NDP candidates ready for October 19

Oct 18, 2024 | 3:09 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – The writ dropped on September 21 and advance polls were fast and furious; record numbers, in fact. The NDP has been in government since 2017 after something of a chaotic outcome of that affair.

The NDP candidates in Prince George-Valemount and Prince George-Mackenzie have been busy, getting their messages out and how they plan to use the NDP platform to better the north.

“We have to find a good balance between industry and what we use for tourism and just our natural beauty we have up here,” says Clay Pountney, NDP Candidate for Prince George-Valemount. “So there’s a nice balance in there we can do. And I know, you know, we have forestry, mining and oil and gas happening up here too, and that creates a lot of great employment for everybody. But we also have to keep that balance with things like tourism, and we have a lot of other places like Valemount that really rely on tourism most of the year.”

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For Prince George-Mackenzie, forestry has been a challenge for years. But mostly recently, health care has been the focus of attention, with a number of recent closures and diversions of its emergency room services. Candidate Shar McCrory is well aware.

“One of the actions that was taken this year in Mackenzie was the increase in paramedics. So, we went from, I believe it was .3 half-time positions to 11 full-time positions that are just about all filled. So that that was a response to the community and their needs.” Both candidates have very different messages they would take to Victoria on behalf of their constituents if elected.

“One of the biggest things for myself is health care. We do have an aging population. They say in a few years we’ll have 25 per cent to thirty per cent of people retired,” says Pountney. “So, we need to look after everybody and that with a new hospital. I know we have a surgical ward in the hospital right now that’was built in 1978. So, we do have to invest in our future and invest in our people. So, I would want to make sure that that hospital is being built. And we do have the staff and facilities for everybody to go there. It’s putting it all together.”

For McCrory, there’s not only one issue but a number.

“For me, the number one priority would be that we have individual unique needs in each community we serve, and that those voices are heard in Prince George-Mackenzie and all the communities. And I want to be a strong voice for the communities, if elected.”

The candidate for Prince George-North Cariboo is Denice Bardua.