B.C. candidates highlight health care, economy as election continues

Apr 18, 2017 | 10:21 AM

VANCOUVER — The leaders of British Columbia’s main political parties are taking shots at one another over health care and the economy as the election campaign continues ahead of the provincial vote on May 9.

NDP Leader John Horgan was in the Lower Mainland yesterday, saying his party would create team-based urgent care centres to help people who can’t find family doctors.

The Liberals pledged in their 2010 and 2013 campaigns to find a family doctor for every British Columbian who wanted one, but the government conceded two years ago that they would not meet their target.

Horgan says the Liberal government has let down patients who are waiting hours at walk-in clinics or emergency rooms.

Meanwhile, Liberal Leader Christy Clark took her campaign to Vancouver Island — territory traditionally seen as a NDP stronghold — where she said the region has a successful economic record because of her government’s policies.

Speaking at a rally in Nanaimo last night, Clark told supporters this election offers a clear choice between going backwards with a New Democrat government or moving forward with the Liberals.