Todd Stone (image credit - CPAC)

By Michael Reeve

BC POLITICS

‘Every single file is getting worse’; Kamloops MLA Stone looks back at 2023, gears up for election year

Dec 15, 2023 | 6:00 PM

KAMLOOPS — In 2022, the B.C. Liberals elected a new leader in Kevin Falcon and the NDP acclaimed a new premier in David Eby. By that metric of major change, 2023 has been a much quieter year in B.C. politics.

In the past 12 months the B.C. Liberals completed a name change and a new fourth party, the B.C. Conservatives, received official party status in the legislature.

In April, the Liberals officially became B.C. United. While polls may be showing a need for more public messaging on the new name, Kamloops-South Thompson MLA Todd Stone believes the party is on the right track heading toward a 2024 vote.

“I think it’s going reasonably well,” began Stone. “Even in the past couple of weeks, we have seen a significant uptick in our campaign advertising and branding and some really good results from that. Fundraising has never been better — we just had our biggest third quarter ever. We are going to have our biggest fourth quarter ever, so money is coming into the party in droves. And lots of really good candidates are stepping up to run.”

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The vast majority of people pay little-to-no attention to politics before the writ is dropped. Those actively engaged, however, have been stressing to Stone the need for improvement in health care and public safety.

“Everything is getting more expensive, people are getting less for what they are paying for it, and everything is broken in the province. It doesn’t matter if you are talking cancer care, healthcare generally, public safety, mental health, addiction, affordability, housing — every single file is getting worse and worse,” said Stone.

With the rise of a new fourth party — also on the right side of political spectrum — with the B.C. Conservatives, fears of vote-splitting exist — just not within the B.C. United camp.

“Because there is a growing appetite for change in this province, because there is a growing dissatisfaction with the NDP’s management of the major issues, like affordability, housing, health care, I think people will be increasingly looking for who is that most credible, competent alternative to the NDP and I believe that is Kevin Falcon and B.C. United,” said Stone.

The next provincial election, if not called early, is set for late October 2024.

Stone and Peter Milobar have been acclaimed for the two Kamloops ridings. As of yet, no challengers have been named from the other parties.