FORSETH -- "I think people are so upset right now - angry about what the NDP is doing, and the fact that so many of their decisions are based on an ideology that the majority do not share" ~~ Kerry-Lynne Findlay
Including a brief Q&A, she spoke for an hour and a quarter on a number of topics, although the majority of that time was spent talking about issues surrounding the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA). Like all other candidates, however, she has been clear in stating that under her leadership, and a BC Conservative government, it will be cancelled.
She also spoke to the need for all conservatives to unite and come together as a single force against the NDP government of Premier David Eby.
“We need all the conservatives. We need conservatives to come together. I'm talking to the independents”, Findlay stated.
She then went on to discuss what can’t be done right now, a direct reference to a deal the Fulmer campaign struck with OneBC leader Dallas Brodie just days ago.
“As a leadership contender, you're not supposed to make deals with other registered parties ... but I think there's going to be some issues around that. You really can't do that.”
“What you can say is, if you’re conservative, and you like what I'm talking about, we can talk. And then once the leadership is done, we can have formal discussions.”
When that would happen was the question asked of her, to which she replied, “It would be as soon as the leader is picked. Literally, the next day, you're in a position to talk more formal -- but not right now.”
She emphasized, however, the importance of first becoming leader of the party, and building a team.
“The big thing is becoming the leader of the sort of party and building a team that is united; meaning (you may) not necessarily agree 100%, but you have your disagreements in confidence. You vote together, you have respect for each other, you listen to each other.”
“Sometimes you move forward by majority. Sometimes it takes the leader to say 'No'. We cannot concede the ground on that.”
And what does that look like? She answered that by stating, “You show yourself as a government in waiting; you show strength. And then the leader has to be someone who leads by example, who works hard, who enunciates the issues clearly, who debates the issues.”
Referring to that, Findlay remarked, “I think people are so upset right now - angry about what the NDP is doing and about the high taxes, and about the attitude, the arrogant attitude they have, and the fact that so many of their decisions are based on an ideology that the majority do not share.”
As for her plans, said stated that she would be publishing a 30, 60, 90-day plan so that people have a sense of what her priorities would be.
“Some things you can do right away, and other things they do take a little while. But of course, if you have a majority, you're in the strongest position to do it, and you can move fast.”
A couple of things from last nights get-together gave me cause for concern:
The first instance involved hospital care for an expectant mother. Here’s what she had to say:
“At a get-together in Abbotsford there was a lady there. Her daughter was in labour and went to Langley Memorial Hospital and they said, ‘You didn’t have the two COVID shots’.
This was two weeks ago, and they said, ‘We will not help you because you don’t have the two COVID shots.’
She’s in active labour. She went home. There was nowhere to go. She had the baby at home in the floor.”
FACT CHECK: There are no vaccine mandates to receive access to healthcare. According to the provincial government, no individual will be turned away from hospital care, prenatal care, or delivery if they are unvaccinated.
The second was with regards to BC’s forest industry, which we all know is pretty much on life support. Across the province mill after mill has closed, and thousands are now out of work. There are many reasons for this; the vast majority a direct result of policies initiated by the provincial NDP government.
They are NOT however due to raw log shipments, which Findlay hinted were a contributing factor.
“Because of ... poor management of the industry we’ve basically become a raw log exporter. We export them to Asia. They process them, because all our processing is shut down, and then they sell it back.”
FACT CHECK: I spent some time, online this morning, trying to find anything that would verify what she had to say. I could not.
All in all, she was well received by the people in attendance, and she was relaxed answering questions they had.
As to endorsements, only time will tell how effective they are to a campaign. That said, in the past few days Findlay has racked up a number of them.
These have included her own husband Brent Chapman who is a current BC Conservative MLA, along with Shuswap – Salmon Arm MLA Dave Williams, Prince George – North Cariboo MLA Sheldon Clare, and from Peace River North, former Conservative MLA, now independent, Jordan Kealy. And this morning, she added former federal Conservative MP Peter MacKay.
Memberships are what it’s all about, and each of the remaining six candidates have until April 18th to get supporters signed up.
Voting begins May 9th, and a new leader will be announced on May 30th --- there’s still lots of time left in this race.
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