Eby responds to Doerkson’s “really dishonest” attempt to hide healthcare cuts

British Columbians simply can’t believe Interim Conservative Leader Lorne Doerkson’s impossible math.

Doerkson has said previously that he won’t raise additional revenue for the government, and he won’t back down on his commitment to aggressively cut the deficit – making it impossible to avoid cutting services, including healthcare.

This interim leader has refused to allow the media to ask follow-up questions since the start of the campaign. Today, he allowed only four questions in total. He has been unable to answer detailed questions about how he can magically pay for his plan without cutting services like healthcare and education.

BC NDP Leader David Eby responded to Doerkson’s plan at this morning’s media event:

“Let's be honest with ourselves about where the money goes in government. It goes to healthcare and education. And as the conservatives noted, those are the two biggest line items in the budget.

“And if we want good neighbourhood schools for our kids, and if we want healthcare, if we want seniors [to have] access to the shingles vaccine, if we want to open long-term care beds, if we want to recruit medical professionals … then we're going to have to find a way to pay for it. And that's where the conservatives are being really dishonest.

“In brief moments of clarity, they say yes, education and healthcare will bear the brunt of their cuts. And there is just no way to address the healthcare issues that British Columbians face, the challenges that we face, by cutting the healthcare system. So absolutely we're going to do the work to drive down costs in British Columbia. But also we need to recognize we've got a growing, aging population and they need care.”

Video of Eby’s comments is available here.

David Eby and the BC NDP have a plan to fund new investments to strengthen healthcare and keep hiring doctors and nurses by asking millionaires and the top 4% of earners in the province to pay a little bit more.