BC NDP leader David Eby put out a plea to progressive voters Sunday urging them to support his party instead of the BC Greens, lest they split the vote.
The BC Greens wasted no time responding, taking umbrage with Eby's claim that the parties aren't all that different and accusing him of "trying to scare British Columbians" into voting a certain way.
In a press release, Eby argued that at the end of the day, the race for premier is between him and BC Conservative leader Lorne Doerkson.
“If you voted Green in the past, I’m inviting you to join us in this election," he said. "There is too much at stake. I don’t want any British Columbian to wake up on October 25th and wonder how someone who wants to cut and privatize health care and shares bizarre anti-vaccine views with RFK Jr. could become our next health minister."
The BC NDP cited Eby's plans to raise income taxes on higher-earners and put price caps on staples at the grocery store as examples of policies BC Greens could take comfort in.
Less than two hours later, BC Greens leader Emily Lowan released her response, pulling no punches.
"He says the differences between us are small," she began. "Tell that to the families waiting on the $10-a-day child care he froze, the seniors waiting on the seven long-term care homes he delayed, and the renters still waiting for housing they can actually afford. Tell it to the nurses I stood with on the picket line this summer, to the First Nations who watched him try to suspend parts of DRIPA, and to everyone still waiting for the climate action he ran away from."
She noted that two longtime NDPers, Svend Robinson and Harold Steves, recently endorsed the BC Greens.
"Premier Eby says he hasn’t been perfect," Lowan added. "British Columbians aren’t asking for perfect. They’re asking for a government that keeps its word, makes life affordable, and makes sure care is there when they need it. Last night, Vancouver showed that people are ready for Green leadership. British Columbians can send that same Green message across the province on election day."
Jarryd Jäger
