// 03
How to vote in the 2024 provincial election
// 08–09 How has David Eby served students as premier?
// 10–11 Who could be the next Vancouver-Point Grey MLA?
// 19 The Ubyssey ’s provincial elections bingo
Chadha, Olivia Vos, Sam Low, Sidney Shaw, Sofia Campanholo, Sophia Samilski, Tiana Khandelwhal, Vicky Nguyen,
Whether you are eligible to vote in BC or not, it’s important to know what plans candidates are promising and how their policies can affect your life.
In this issue, we broke down how BC politics work, who the candidates are and how they’re tackling issues at the forefront of students’ minds such as housing and transit. We even included a fun elections-themed bingo.
We know voting can seem tedious, but with it becoming more and more difficult to live in Vancouver, with decreasing affordability and other concerns, the provincial government will play a big role in any attempts to meaningfully address these issues. Students — as people beginning to enter the job market and find their own financial footing — are likely to be hit the hardest. The BC government also oversees decisions on healthcare, transportation, natural resources, education and more.
Instead of making you feel pessimistic about the state of our province, we hope to spark your desire for change — and the best thing you could do right now is cast your vote.
Whether you choose to vote or not, hopefully this guide can help you make an informed decision.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The Ubyssey acknowledges we operate on the traditional, ancestral and stolen territories of the Coast Salish peoples including the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) nations. racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, harassment or discrimination. Authors and/or submissions will not be precluded from publication based solely on association with particular ideologies or subject matter that some may find objectionable. Approval for publication is, however, dependent on the quality of the argument and The Ubyssey editorial board’s judgment of appropriate content. Submissions may be sent by email to opinion@ ubyssey.ca. Please include your student number or other proof of identification. Anonymous submissions will be accepted on extremely rare occasions. Requests for anonymity will be granted upon agreement from seveneighths of the editorial board. Full opinions policy may be found at ubyssey.ca/pages/submit-an-opinion It is agreed by
the impact of the ads.
— Aisha Chaudhry + Viyan Handley News Editors
words by Chaitanya Choudhary
photos by Saumya Kamra
The BC provincial election is fast approaching with topics like housing, affordability and health care at the forefront of par ty platforms. Students have an important voice in elections, and it’s good to know where, when and how you can vote in this election.
THE THREE MAJOR PARTIES
• BC Conservative Party (Party leader John Rustad)
• BC Green Party (Party leader Sonia Furstenau)
• BC New Democratic Party (NDP) (Party leader and Premier David Eby)
The NDP has been the party in power since 2017, with Eby be coming premier in 2022.
HOW TO WIN THE ELECTION
BC provincial elections use the first-past-the-post sys tem. This winner-takes-all system disregards the need for a majority and focuses on the candidate who has the highest number of votes. If there are three parties — pink, yellow and purple — and the purple party gets 40 per cent of the votes while the other parties get 20 and 30 per cent of the total votes, the purple party is elected even though it did not achieve a majority consensus.
CAN I VOTE?
To vote in the BC provincial elections you must be a Ca nadian citizen, 18 or older on October 19 and a BC resident since at least April 18.
HOW TO REGISTER
You can register to vote online, by phone, by mail or in person on voting day. Registering in advance can save you some time.
VOTING BY MAIL
Vote-by-mail package requests are available online or by phone until October 13. The package will be mailed to you, or you can pick it up at a district electoral office.
After October 13, you can still re quest a vote-by-mail package in per son at any district electoral office until 4 p.m. on October 19. Your completed package must be received by Elections BC before 8 p.m. on October 19.
ADVANCE VOTING
You can vote in advance October 10–13 and 15–16. When voting in advance, you’ll have to vote using a special ballot, meaning candidate names will not ap pear on the ballot. Instead, there will be a blank space for
you to write in the name of the candidate you’re voting for. You can check the candidates in your riding online or ask for a list from election officials. You can also vote at your district electoral office or the voting booth in , AMS VP External Ayesha Irfan confirmed students can vote for their home riding from the Nest.
Advance voting at the Nest is available from October 15–16, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. The last day to vote is October 19, and you can vote in the Nest
To find your assigned polling station on the final day, visit the
The identification requirement to vote is the same whether you are registered or not, voting by mail, in advance or on Election Day. You will need either one piece of Canadian government-issued identification that has your name, photo and address, or two documents with your name, one of which must have your address. For registered voters, one of these could be the voter information card. Other options include a bank card with your name on
If you don’t have an ID, you can still vote if someone who knows you and has their own ID signs a piece of paper proving that you are the person you say you are. This person must also be registered to vote at the same polling station. If you choose to go this route, just note you can only vouch for one person.
Some new changes are also being rolled out this election cycle. Now, new voting processes and technology are being used to administer ballots — this includes networked laptops and electronic tabulators to check off voters and count all paper ballots efficiently and in a secure
The new technology will help report results quicker and also means around 98 per cent of ballots will be counted on election night. Previously, absentee and mail-in ballots could not be counted until final count, which would take place about two weeks after election day. The delay was due to time needed to verify voters were eligible to vote and had only done so once. The new voting system allows these checks to be made “in almost real time,” according to Elections BC.
The changes will also provide new acessibility services. Voters can now listen to audio recordings of candidates’ names and cast their vote using a hand-held selector device, sip-and-puff straws or paddles. U
words by Annabelle Katz
illustrations by Ayla Cilliers & Emilija V. Harrison
Students can vote in BC’s provincial election on campus before and on election day.
In collaboration with Elections BC, the AMS will provide four polling stations near UBC. Advance voting is available at the Nest on October 15 and 16. Final day-of voting will be available on October 19 at the Nest and University Hill Secondary School.
In a statement to The Ubyssey, AMS VP External Ayesha Irfan said the AMS recognizes the importance of providing on-campus voting.
“The goal was to provide students with a convenient and accessible voting space right here in their very own student union building,” she wrote.
Dr. Max Cameron, a professor at UBC who specializes in constitutionalism, democracy and political ethics, also spoke of the importance of accessibility in voting in an interview with The Ubyssey
“Convenience helps to encourage people to vote,” he said. “So the more opportunities people have [to vote] and [the] more convenient, [the] better.”
The last time polling stations were on campus was for the 2021 federal election, which saw initial uncertainty on the availability of on-campus polling stations.
Irfan said the AMS expects a high voter turnout this
year because it is promoting the election through hosting an Elections BC booth, an elections trivia night and a debate watch party.
“We will also be boothing in first-year residences to engage students who may be voting for the first time ever,” Irfan wrote. “These efforts make us optimistic about achieving a strong turnout this year.”
In addition to the lack of voting stations present for the 2021 federal election, many students also struggled to vote because of registration issues and wait times of up to three hours.
Irfan said the AMS still anticipates long wait times this year, and wrote that “while the voting process itself is expected to be quick, with a campus of 61,000 students, some delays are inevitable.”
She said wait times would reach their peak during the popular voting hours of 12–3 p.m., and the AMS is taking measures to address potential wait times like encouraging students to vote during off-peak hours and to take advantage of advance voting.
“The AMS hopes [these measures] will further reduce wait times and keep the lines moving efficiently.” U
— With files from Viyan Handley
EXPLAINED //
words by Lauren Kasowski
illustrations by Ayla Cilliers
Last year, Lytton, BC set the new all-time Canadian heat record at 49.5ºC. BC faces risks of severe wildfires, rising sea levels and melting glaciers. In 2023, the UN said the world is not on track to limit warming by 1.5ºC, though such limiting is needed to avoid the climate crisis’s worst impacts — which can affect us in BC.
The Ubyssey summed up each party’s platform to help UBC community members make an informed vote.
The BC Conservative Party, led by John Rustad, are running an economy-based climate platform with plans to increase resource extraction and repeal existing climate policies.
The party is focusing on increasing mining and forestry industries, and Rustad said he wants to reintroduce nuclear energy, according to Global News, and cut BC’s carbon tax. Rustad also revealed the party’s climate plan would increase liquified natural gas (LNG) export projects and remove emissions-intensity caps.
LNG has lower emissions than coal, but requires more energy to liquify the gas. Climate experts have said neither LNG nor nuclear power substitutions are long-term solutions to the climate crisis. Rustad’s increased mining proposition also comes with problems like deforestation, water contamination and impacts on Indigenous Peoples’ land rights.
Repealing BC’s carbon tax would also harm the climate.
“If the tax disappears, so will about $1.6 billion worth of revenue that the provincial government … spends on various other, especially climate-related, programs,” said Dr. Kathryn Harrison, a UBC political science professor and environmental policy specialist, in an interview with The Ubyssey
In May, Rustad said the Conservatives would repeal BC’s protection of 30 per cent of its land base for forestry or agriculture development by 2023.
Additionally, streamlining industry-permitting processes could have unforeseen consequences.
“When parties talk about eliminating regulations and red tape, it’s always good to ask, ‘Which of those steps are you going to eliminate?’” said Harrison. “In practice, there’s reasons for them.”
In August 2022, Rustad was removed from the BC
Liberal caucus for questioning climate crisis science. He backtracked those statements in 2023, but still maintains the climate crisis “is not at crisis level,” according to September reporting from CBC.
BC GREEN PARTY
The BC Green Party is pledging to keep the carbon tax, invest in climate adaptation measures and restrict fossil fuel infrastructure. Leader Sonia Furstenau also vowed to focus on having industries pay more.
“We want to make sure you see real benefits, whether that’s through a bigger rebate cheque or by investing in projects that make your community better and more sustainable,” read a September 25 press release.
The party committed to protecting water resources, implementing retrofits and monitoring air quality under the Clean Air Act
Furstenau said the Greens would not approve new LNG or fracking projects and plans to invest in renewable energy.
LNG use and fracking both harm the climate, with fracking in particular being extremely environmentally damaging. Proposals to ban both of these technologies would benefit BC’s environment. However, BC is showing increases in power demands, which the Greens may struggle to combat using solar energy.
Furstenau’s carbon tax could reduce what some climate experts call the cost of inaction, which some estimate could total $17 billion annually, according to Canada’s National Observer. Climate measures, like those funded by the tax, would reduce total taxpayer costs.
BC NDP
The party — led by Premier David Eby — plans to
continue working on CleanBC, the party’s climate plan, which includes biodiversity and climate adaptation initiatives.
According to its website, the BC NDP have invested $1.1 billion into building climate-resilient communities, planting millions of trees and allocating $157 million for watershed protection.
CleanBC focuses on cleaner transportation, preparation for extreme weather and reducing substantial building and greenhouse gas emissions.
The NDP’s energy framework focuses on capping oil and gas emissions, accelerating BC energy electrification and requiring LNG facilities to be net zero by 2030. CleanBC previously planned to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies by September, but the NDP has since extended the deadline to December 31, 2026.
In March 2023, Eby approved a new LNG terminal which critics said don’t match BC’s climate goals. Additionally, Harrison said “net-zero” facilities won’t do much since Canadian emissions counting doesn’t include downstream emissions, which LNG emits.
“When we talk about net-zero LNG, we’re not talking about the majority of the emissions from LNG,” said Harrison.
Eby also said his party would scrap the carbon tax if the federal government lifted its carbon pricing program requirement.
A 2023 progress report from the BC Climate Emergency Campaign noted CleanBC has only seen minor progress, and that removing provincial or federal carbon taxes harms climate targets. U
EXPLAINED //
words by Astrid Maiz
illustrations by Eylül Kara
As housing costs in BC increase, people are looking to the government for support. Though BC parties have some similar goals regarding housing, the groups disagree on some points.
The Ubyssey summed up each party’s platform to help UBC community members make an informed vote.
BC CONSERVATIVE PARTY
Led by John Rustad, the BC Conservative Party has said it’s time to address BC’s “urgent” housing crisis.
On September 27, the party publicly released Get BC Building, a plan which promises to streamline housing approval processes, combat the housing shortage and provide housing tax cuts.
Rustad said Get BC Building will end what he called the NDP’s “over-regulation” so the government can faster approve rezoning and developing permits. Rustad additionally plans to to identify land outside Vancouver’s Agricultural Land Reserve in an attempt to address “the housing shortage with smart, sustainable development.”
Where that outside land will come from is unclear, and Rustad’s promise to eliminate “redundant” regulations in the mining industry comes with sustainability concerns like deforestation, water contamination and impacts on Indigenous Peoples’ land rights.
The largest part of Get BC Building is Rustad’s housing costs relief plan — what the party calls the BC Rent and Mortgage Rebate or, more commonly, the “Rustad Rebate.”
According to the party’s website, this rebate would provide a tax credit to qualifying renters and homeowners.
The program, set to begin in 2026, would initially cover $1,500 per month and increase by $500 per year thereafter until reaching a final maximum rebate of $3,000 per month.
The rebate program is aimed at the middle-class tax brackets and is not specifically for students.
In an interview with The Ubyssey, Dr. Craig Jones, associate director of the housing research collaborative at UBC, said students are often overlooked regarding housing, and he hopes to see more public policies aimed toward
students in the future.
“Most of the housing policy I see isn’t really geared to serve students,” said Jones. “It’s geared to serve maybe the middle class or lower income earners … and [is] not so focused on student relief.”
BC GREEN PARTY
Led by Sonia Furstenau, the BC Green Party called the housing crisis “complex [and] deeply entrenched” with “no quick fix.”
The party plans to ensure everyone in BC has access — whether as renters or owners — to an affordable home by 2035.
The Greens plan to implement policies which would better support renters, increase non-market housing (similar to the NDP) and climate-proof housing by reducing building sector emissions.
The party also plans to allocate $100 million annually to a rental maintenance fund to maintain existing non-profit and co-op housing. Co-op housing allows residents to hold shares of a non-profit organization in the form of residential units.
Additionally, the Greens want to double existing provincial property taxes for homes valued above $3 million, $4 million and $7 million to ensure “high-value properties contribute more.” Furstenau said these increased taxes are aimed at creating “an economy that serves the people” instead of “delivering harm,” according to Global News coverage.
Jones felt the Greens’ platform showed promise, but said he wanted more specifics.
“There’s a lot of information [on its website], a lot of good ideas,” said Jones. “But again, [there’s] not a whole lot of depth [in] information that I’ve been able to come across.”
BC NDP
If re-elected, the BC NDP plans to continue Premier David Eby’s Housing Action Plan, which updates restrictive
zoning laws, and the ongoing BC Builds program.
The NDP’s platform said the party will “fast-[track] BC’s factory home construction to quickly deliver lower cost middle-class homes.”
“Factory-built home construction will play a critical role in solving the housing crisis — delivering immediate results,” read the platform.
The party also said it will encourage municipal governments to build more housing through a new local infrastructure investment fund.
Additionally, aimed at eligible first-time homeowners, the party’s Opening Doors to Homeownership Action Plan would “help thousands of middle-class families break into the housing market every year by financing 40% of the purchase price,” according to a BC NDP press release. Buyers would need to secure 60 per cent of the house’s market value.
In April, the provincial government, under Eby’s leadership, announced it would contribute $300 million for the contruction of more than 1,500 student beds on UBC’s Vancouver campus by 2029, marking the largest provincial contribution to a single building project in the university’s history.
This contribution will allow for the construction of five new residence buildings with child care spaces. Residence construction isn’t set to begin until 2026, but the new space will help alleviate housing pressures on students and the local rental market, according to UBC President Benoit-Antoine Bacon.
Jones said he believes the province’s contribution to campus housing is a positive action.
“Having stronger partnerships between the province and the university is really important,” he said.
Jones also said he thought the NDP had a good track record on housing issues.
“I think that the housing policy that [we’ve] got in place over the last few years, there’s a lot of good ideas there,” said Jones. “So my hope is that, coming out of this election, the policies that we have already … such as the Rental Protection Fund [and] BC Builds, really generate [more] support.” U
LOOKING BACK //
words by Fiona Sjaus photos by Isabella Falsetti design by Mahin E Alam
In front of a quaint backyard lined with a brown lattice fence on a sunny day, BC NDP leader and Premier David Eby candidly makes bite-sized videos breaking down his campaign for Student Vote ahead of the October 19 provincial election.
It’s a subtle way to bring him back to the youth he said he aims to support. He gets to the point, unwavering, focusing on the camera.
“This is such an important election coming up,” Eby said. “It’s about the future of our province.”
“It’s about your future.”
Eby has been BC’s premier since 2022 and has represented the Vancouver-Point Grey riding, the electoral region that UBC sits in, since 2013.
A lawyer by profession, the roots of his practice stem from Pivot Legal Society where he worked from 2005–08, advocating for affordable housing in the Downtown Eastside. From 2008–12, he served as the executive director of the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association, then as an adjunct professor at UBC’s Peter A. Allard School of Law from 2009–13.
As Dr. Stewart Prest, a UBC political science professor, put it during an interview with The Ubyssey, Eby’s work directly with students and people experiencing precarious living conditions gave him the perspective to act quickly when it came to policy changes that directly benefit the lives of BC’s marginalized populations, such as many UBC students who, as Eby himself phrased it during the Student Vote video, may feel like “a lot of things seem out of reach.”
“That awareness can filter into his governance in a number of ways,” said Prest. “He is in a position to be very in tune with the needs of the campus and the community, given that he resides there and rubs shoulders with people there every day, so he’s going to be more aware of what’s going on.”
“If [parties] see [student] voters who are frustrated ... yet unmobilized, we may see parties making outreaches,” said Prest. “And in this election, that may include both the BC Conservatives and the BC NDP, because we know from polling that younger voters are about equally likely to support both those parties.”
On the federal level, students have historically participated in elections at below-average rates when compared to their older counterparts. The last BC provincial election in 2020 saw people 18–24 — which made up almost 6 per cent of all voters — have an almost 46 per cent voter turnout, a larger turnout than other voters
aged 25–34 and 35–44.
“Anytime you have a concentration of students, it can introduce a kind of dynamism,” said Prest. “But it also creates a certain amount of unpredictability in terms of who’s going to actually show up and vote, given that many students will vote in their own home riding, or if they are not eligible to vote in Canada, they may not vote at all.”
According to 2022/23 AMS VP External Erin Co, as an Eby campaign volunteer and AMS advocate, she’s seen Eby “continuing to deliver” for students.
“He took the time, and he always directed his team and his office to follow up with us to make sure we were getting work done,” said Co about her time as VP external.
Eby’s UBC roots put him in an ideal position to bring campus issues to the forefront of provincial politics — so what did having a local MLA running the province do for UBC?
STUDENTS WINS ARE WINS FOR EVERYONE
When Eby — who didn’t respond to The Ubyssey ’s request for comment by press time — was first campaigning to be BC’s premier in 2022, he told The Ubyssey he’d be “very attuned” to student interests, if elected.
As the MLA for the Vancouver-Point Grey riding, Eby developed a collaborative relationship with the AMS and GSS. He planned to use the knowledge garnered from working with these groups to bring issues
“Student issues [are] applicable to the rest of the province. If students win, everyone wins, right?”
— Erin Co, former AMS VP External
of housing, transit, affordability and the climate crisis to the provincial level.
Prest said having the power Eby holds as premier can directly translate into support on these particular issues at a provincial level as a “government ombudsperson.”
“He’s very well positioned to play that role in his constituency office,” Prest said. “But in terms of introducing broader policy, a complication arises given that he is in a cabinet position … He also has to balance the needs of [Vancouver-Point Grey] against the needs of essentially everywhere else in the province.”
But it turns out many of the problems that impact UBC’s students — housing, affordability, sustainability and health care to name a few — are also priorities in other ridings across the province that might not have the same student stronghold.
“Student issues [are] applicable to the rest of the province,” said Co. “If students win, everyone wins, right?”
Reflecting on her experiences lobbying on behalf of the AMS and UBC’s student body at the provincial level, Co recalled lobbying for provincial issues that impacted people outside of UBC’s student body. Costs associated with lobbying tend to give more power to the wealthy in Canada, so student society lobbying is an important step toward platforming unique student perspectives.
“I really like the approach that the AMS took, which was that of a non-partisan approach, which meant that we were able to meet with any level of government and all kinds of different parties,” said Co. “Tuition, affordability, housing and things like that were always top of mind for everyone.”
During 2022’s provincial lobby week, Co, AMS and GSS representatives addressed recommendations surrounding student financial aid, graduate student welfare, accessibility and wellbeing for students with disabilities, international student support and concerns surrounding sexual violence.
And Co recalled the groups’ voices were received with widespread interest — even government representatives whose profiles did not overlap with student relations would hear the AMS out on its recommendations.
But being involved in student politics as an executive or lobbyist is an intricate task. Student society executive terms end within a year, incumbents might not run again and student society priorities shift. Co acknowledged these factors feed into the fact that, though students collectively advocate for a wide range of issues, provincial policy changes are often “a slow moving wheel.” By the time a set of AMS recommendations get in front of MLAs, they have been the result of years of consistent student advocacy.
“The work that we do and any wins that we might get is the work of years of other student advocates before me,” Co said.
Ensuring a transparent and aligned transition between AMS executives is important to guarantee that the consistent concerns are followed up on and that tangible change occurs. Current AMS VP External Ayesha Irfan echoed this sentiment in a written statement to The Ubyssey.
“The biggest challenge the AMS faces when it comes to lobbying is time,” Irfan wrote. “It’s important that when we advocate for students in our positions we build on continuity of previous advocacy efforts and discussions.”
Irfan wrote the AMS’s and provincial government partnership is currently prioritizing student interests surrounding housing, transit expansion, affordability, food security, harm reduction, sexualized and gender-based violence prevention and improvements to grants and loans by frequently meeting with Eby.
“Eby’s emphasis on student advocacy has materialized in several important ways. Both as our MLA and Premier,” Irfan wrote. “He held up to his promise by being approachable and most importantly consistently reachable.”
“Eby’s emphasis on student advocacy has materialized in several important ways. Both as our MLA and Premier.”
— Ayesha Irfan, AMS VP External
According to Irfan, while the AMS regularly submits detailed reports and proposals at the provincial level, the provincial government takes student interest into consideration through a lobby week, as well as consultations, budget submissions and townhalls.
“In many instances, these [proposals] have been reviewed and successfully integrated into provincial plans,” Irfan wrote. “We’ve seen considerable alignment between the AMS and the provincial government on key issues.”
Irfan said progress has been made toward implementing the Access for Everyone plan and maintaining the U-Pass program, but there can’t be successes without losses.
Some demands didn’t make it into the most recent provincial budget, such as the expansion of the BC Access Grant, a top priority for the AMS this year and last. For years, the AMS has advocated for a SkyTrain extension to UBC, but Irfan said the AMS is still awaiting “concrete funding or a set timeline for its completion.”
“There is a lot more that needs to be done in regards to housing, affordability, and transit,” she wrote.
IT
“There’s an understanding within the NDP … that many of the problems that we see in the province can trace a significant cause or source to the lack of housing,” said Prest.
“Eby was successful … in addressing the long term shortages in housing in the province, and then attacking that in multiple levels through additional funding and changes to municipal approaches to zoning and a variety of other measures,” Prest said.
As Vancouver-Point Grey’s MLA, a neighbourhood with one of the highest rising housing costs in the province, Eby becoming the NDP housing critic in 2014 was a politically advantageous move.
“Housing for me is very core to who I am,” said Eby in the 2024 Student Vote video. “It’s why I got into politics in the first place, working with people who are homeless or who are at risk of losing their housing.”
On August 20, UBC announced its partnership with the provincial government — under Eby’s leadership — to create more than 1,500 student beds on the Vancouver campus. The project will cost approximately $560 million, with $300 million coming from the provincial government, making this partnership the most significant contribution the provincial government has made to a single building project in the university’s history.
And this win wouldn’t be without students — Irfan said the AMS played a big part in streamlining this project.
“The AMS has been lobbying for more affordable and accessible housing options for UBC students,” wrote Irfan. “Our focus includes pushing for increased funding and faster development of on-campus housing to meet the growing demand.”
“This is the kind of thing where the interests of the community align very well with the interests of the NDP,” Prest said. “[The NDP] can provide support in a province that is in dire need of housing and has a lack of social housing for those of limited means. A provision of student housing on publicly accessible land is one of the fastest ways to address a portion of that need.”
“We need to build a ton of housing in our province, and we are,” Eby continued in the Student Vote video. “Rents are finally starting to come down. We’re going to use public land to build housing that you can afford.”
But this effect doesn’t completely translate to UBC — the university controls its residences’ rental rates as student housing is not governed by BC’s Residential Tenancy Act. Irfan said the AMS advocated for rent control to ensure student housing remains affordable and accessible. Despite AMS affordable housing advocacy, UBC increased student housing rental rates in February.
Campus safety is where the AMS’s and the province’s approaches diverge.
Irfan wrote the AMS’s safety strategy is rooted in expanding mental health resources on campus and campaigns geared toward advocating for the prevention of sexualized and gender-based violence through awareness campaigns and educational initiatives.
Where the AMS focuses on promoting safety through inclusivity, Eby’s take on safety both at UBC and around the province focuses on law enforcement. During a 2020 AMS-hosted Vancouver-Point Grey MLA debate, Eby said he “support[s] increased police resources,” according to Ubyssey coverage.
“[Eby’s] support for policing is trying to address
“If [parties] see [student] voters who are frustrated but yet unmobilized, we may see parties making outreaches.”
— Dr. Stewart Prest, UBC political science professor
that perception that exists in the province … that there is a lack of public order in the streets,” said Prest.
Over the summer, UBC saw increased police presence around campus during the Palestinian solidarity encampment. Both UBC and the RCMP drew criticism from protesters for its handling of the protest, notably how the RCMP’s Critical Response Unit was present during the encampment and related protests. The Critical Response Unit was federally investigated for its heavily-armed raids on the Wet’suwet’en-led blockades and its Fairy Creek operation in 2021.
“I support increased police resources,” Eby said during a 2020 Vancouver-Point Grey debate. At the time, Eby was advocating for a plan to increase police resources to decrease money laundering to combat the toxic drug crisis. BC declared the toxic drug crisis a provincial public health emergency in April 2016.
Eby later pivoted his approach to the toxic drug crisis when BC became the first Canadian jurisdiction to decriminalize possession of small amounts of illicit drugs for personal use. Health Canada issued a threeyear exemption from the federal Controlled Drugs and Substances Act in an effort to protect people who enagage in substance use from stigma and over-policing.
Decriminalization left police and health care workers unprepared, according to the Tyee and Business in Vancouver reporting. 2023 saw a peak in the number of overdoses from unregulated substances with more than 2,500 deaths.
In April, after the provincial government drew decriminalization criticism from the public, the province announced plans to recriminalize the use of drugs in public places such as hospitals, parks and on transit.
Irfan said the AMS has made progress in mobilizing the distribution of naloxone kits at UBC through the AMS’s Peer Support service and others.
Separate from the AMS, UBC received 500 doses of nasal naloxone from the province’s Post-Secondary Overdose Prevention Steering Committee in September.
The Post-Secondary Overdose Prevention Steering Committee was formed in May and is tasked with reviewing policies and recommending best practices in overdose prevention and response for BC post-secondary institutions.
If elected, the NDP plans to provide involuntary care for people struggling with addiction.
However, Dr. Michael John Milloy, a UBC assistant professor and researcher in social medicine at the British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, told The Ubyssey in October that isn’t in line with health care practices.
“It’s stupendously clear to me that if you do not have consent from someone, it is not treatment. That is the foundation of our medical system,” said Milloy. “We’re only allowed to treat people who consent to that truth.”
“I’m very concerned about the possibility of negative unintended consequences where people who are involuntarily treated leave and then go back to a toxic drug supply.”
Working with students is a strategic political move — we bring fresh ideas to universal issues as a population that is not traditionally centred in political campaigns or practice or who often feel like our voices are not being heard by people in power. As the election nears, Eby’s acknowledgment of student influence in the provincial polls is evident.
As Eby wrapped up his Student Vote video, he made it clear the BC Conservative Party’s policies oppose his party’s own.
“It’s a pretty straightforward choice in my mind. I hope you feel the same way, and I hope I can count on your support in the election.”
U
words by Aisha Chaudhry
Conservative candidate Paul Ratchford is hoping to beat BC NDP incumbent and Premier David Eby on a platform based on revitalizing the economy and fixing the affordability crisis.
In a statement to The Ubyssey, Ratchford, who has a background in economics, wrote “British Columbia is in a state of mismanagement … [I] now feel ready to give back to the community through public service.”
Ratchford said affordability would be at the top of his priorities if elected.
The Conservative party’s platform aims to fix the cost of living by scrapping the carbon tax, attracting foreign investment and championing free trade.
On housing, the platform centres a BC rent and mortgage rebate, which would allow both renters and homeowners to reduce their housing costs subject to provincial income tax, up to $3,000 a month.
“[BC] need[s] a government that can effectively deliver housing to meet demand, which has been fueled by elevated immigration levels,” he wrote.
The rebate program, planned to begin in 2026, is aimed at the middle-class tax brackets and is not specifically for students.
Other than affordability, Ratchford said he wants to prioritize environmental issues.
“As Vancouver continues to grow, we must protect our green spaces, build the necessary infrastructure to keep our waters clean, and address unnecessary noise pollution,” he wrote.
The Conservatives also plan to make “BC a mining superpower” by reversing the BC NDP’s prohibition of mining in some areas and by expediting mining permits. The party’s platform also includes rebuilding BC’s forestry sector by expediting forestry permits and re-introducing controlled burns for prevention and containment.
Ratchford also wrote about health care in his statement to
The Ubyssey and said the healthcare system needs to be “fixed so that the nearly one million people without a family doctor get the care they deserve.”
A February Vancouver Sun article reported that around one in five people in BC don’t have a family doctor.
He also wrote “we must invest in treatment and recovery programs to address the ongoing drug and addiction crisis.”
In a September 22 media release, BC Conservative leader John Rustad announced plans to shut down some government-approved drug injection sites and reverse the NDP’s decriminalization policies.
BC decriminalized the possession of small amounts of hard drugs in certain locations, with adults permitted to legally possess up to 2.5 grams of opioids, cocaine, methamphetamine and MDMA for personal use in specific locations under a Health Canada exemption that began in January 2023.
Ratchford said the provincial deficit has soared, meaning more tax dollars will be spent on interest payment.
The deficit forecast for 2024/25 is projected to be $8.9 billion, according to CBC reporting.
“The province’s credit rating has already been downgraded multiple times, meaning we now waste more money on interest payments that could be funding valuable services,” he wrote.
BC’s credit rating dropped to AA- in April, which is the third downgrade in three years due to increased borrowing. The rating by S&P Global Ratings is still the fourth highest ranking the group gives.
When asked how he will stay competitive against Eby, Ratchford pointed toward his upbringing in Kitsilano.
“Vancouver-Point Grey is my home,” wrote Ratchford. “I love this community. Unlike the incumbent, I spend my time in the riding, talking to residents.”
“I want to see British Columbia thrive.” U
words by Iman Janmohamed
Climate scientist, financial analyst and economist Dr. Devyani Singh is running for the BC Green Party on a platform centring climate policy and affordability.
Singh, who was the BC Greens candidate in 2020 and the federal Green Party candidate for Vancouver-Quadra in 2021, said her motivation behind running is the same as when she first ran.
“We need … representatives who are going to be honest, who are going to be transparent, who are going to be there for us and who are willing to stand against the government for us as constituents.”
She said she wants to change “the status quo” in provincial politics by increasing representation.
“I think everybody’s qualified to run for office, if you have sufficient passion to create change and be there to work for the people … I plan to bring [my life experiences] to legislature to be able to help make decisions in what I hope will be a minority government, bringing home the balance of power to actually create change for the people.”
Singh’s goals include “meaningful action on climate change” by getting rid of fossil fuel subsidies, increasing affordability by making public transit free and mitigating the housing crisis by increasing affordable housing stock.
“We are living in a place, in a time, where we are going through global inflation,” said Singh.
Singh recalled being a UBC PhD student when, at times, she would spend anywhere from 80–100 per cent of her
PhD stipend on housing.
Singh also said more housing and child care near campus is needed — especially for graduate students and student families. She said people she knows have been unable to find child care because of high costs or face long waitlists.
The Greens differ from the NDP and Conservatives because the party is “planet-centric,” said Singh. The party is advocating for continuing the carbon tax, reducing the voting age to 16 and are against involuntary long-term care for people who engage in substance use.
Singh emphasized the need to follow expert advice regarding key platform points such as the climate crisis, toxic drug crisis and involuntary care among other matters.
When asked how she will compete with incumbent Premier David Eby, Singh said “being an incumbent doesn’t just give you the right to [take] people’s vote for granted.”
“Every vote should be earned, and you should respect the people who vote for you,” said Singh. “I have seen that, at least over the last few years, the premier has been more interested in being … premier rather than being there for the people [as an MLA].”
“There is no stronger message to be sent to the sitting premier in this riding by ruling in a person who cares about the climate, who cares about the people … Vote enough Greens in,” said Singh.
“Minority governments work for the people.” U
words by Viyan Handley
BC NDP leader and BC Premier David Eby is hoping to be reelected, running on the continuation and expansion of the NDP’s affordability and sustainability programs.
In a statement to The Ubyssey, Eby highlighted his success in providing student residence beds and rental homes across the province.
The NDP’s Homes for People action plan committed over $4 billion in April 2023 to the development of new homes in BC. In April, the provincial government announced it would contribute $300 million for the construction of more than 1,500 beds on UBC’s Vancouver campus by 2029, marking the largest provincial contribution to a single building project in the university’s history.
Eby also mentioned his speculation and vacancy tax has made 20,000 previously vacant Metro Vancouver investment homes open to renters. On October 4, he committed to doubling the tax for homeowners who leave their homes vacant, despite what he called opposition from the BC Conservatives.
The tax, which is applied to a home’s assessed value, would increase to 1 per cent from 0.5 per cent for Canadian citizens and to 3 per cent, from 1.5 per cent, for others.
Eby said 99 per cent of British Columbians are exempt from paying the tax, and he hopes the tax will encourage people to rent out their homes so no one has to pay it.
“Remarkably, [BC Conservative Party leader] John Rustad and his local candidate [Paul Ratchford] want to cancel all of these housing changes,” Eby wrote. “Despite their opposition, we can’t stop. Too many people are struggling.”
Eby said the climate crisis “is a threat to defend our communities from.” He claimed neither Ratchford nor Rustad share this stance.
“Rustad believes the proven science that carbon pollution
causes climate change is ‘false.’ He thinks climate science is a ‘lie’ and wants to ban climate science from high schools. These beliefs are why he got kicked out of his old political party,” Eby said.
In June, Rustad told The Globe and Mail the science around human causes of the climate crisis is “a theory and it’s not proven.” A 2021 UN report said humans are, beyond reasonable scientific doubt, the primary cause of the climate crisis. Rustad also said the climate crisis is “not even a crisis.”
In August 2022, Rustad was also removed from the BC Liberal caucus for questioning climate crisis science.
Eby said the NDP has over $3 billion in clean electricity projects proposed for the province. These range from continuing to work on biodiversity and adaptation initiatives in CleanBC — the NDP’s ongoing climate plan since 2018 — to introducing a new energy framework which will focus on capping oil and gas emissions.
Affordable heathcare is also a key ballot issue — one Eby said he is in full support of.
“We’re supporting students with free birth control [and providing] people who want to start a family with a free round of IVF,” he said.
Eby also mentioned the new child care spaces the NDP is helping to sponsor at UBC as proof of his support toward affordable child care.
Eby also affirmed his support for strong partnerships with Indigenous Peoples, and highlighted that Ratchford retweeted a post that casted doubt on the premises of Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
“This election is important,” Eby wrote. “I’m honoured to have been this community’s elected provincial representative for the past decade. We’ve gotten a lot done. We’ve also got so much more to do.” U
EXPLAINED //
words by Himanaya Bajaj
illustrations by Ayla Cilliers
Immigration policy is largely a federal issue, but BC political parties have taken stances on international student immigration as the provincial election grows near.
In late January, the federal government announced an intake cap on study permit applications to decrease pressures on housing, the healthcare system and other services, and to better protect international students from “bad actors.”
Canadian post-secondary institutions have been accused of charging international students high fees while providing them with a poor education, according to Vancouver Sun reporting.
In September, the government announced further restructions on the number of new study permits. It also announced the 2025/26 study permit intake cap will include graduate students (a demographic which the cap had previously excluded) with 12 per cent of allocation spaces being reserved for them.
The Ubyssey summed up each party’s platform to help UBC community members make an informed vote.
John Rustad, the BC Conservative Party leader, said the federal government’s move to reduce temporary residents in Canada was “way too little, way too late.” He also said British Columbians “can’t trust” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and that provinces should have the power to set immigration targets, something the NDP also included in its platform.
“When we hear a leader saying something like, ‘It’s too little, too late,’ it indicates that they perhaps have themselves shifted in their support for an open approach to international students,” said Dr. Stewart Prest, a UBC political science professor in an interview with The Ubyssey. “If Mr. Rustad were to be elected, we would look for him to perhaps take a more hard-line approach on the issue, perhaps drastically drawing back on the number of international students.”
Prest also said this could lead to quite disruptive policies and BC would have to wait to see “whether
that rhetoric turns into something more definitive.” Immigration programming, said Prest, is typically a federal issue that is becoming more locally relevant.
“It’s worth paying attention to what the provincial leaders are saying on this issue and how they’re going to approach it,” he said.
As of press time, the BC Conservatives’s 2024 platform did not contain explicit mention of international students.
In an October 2023 news release, BC Greens’ leader Sonia Furstenau said “escalating costs of living, inflation, and soaring tuition fees” are “pushing students to the brink,” with international students being the most affected.
Furstenau previously urged the BC NDP government to create a non-repayable food security grant program to assist international students in financial distress.
“We’ve heard stories of students resorting to raiding dumpsters, being turned away at food banks for being an international student,” she said. “There are students who haven’t eaten in days, sitting in class trying to learn.”
Furstenau also advocated for the removal of the “gatekeeping and protectionist mentality” which she said hinders internationally-trained professionals from working in their fields in BC. She argued international students should not be seen merely as a lucrative source of revenue for post-secondary institutions.
“The consensus that immigration [is a real value to Canada] is good for the country [and] we want to continue to find ways to support it,” said Furstenau. “And so I think it’s important that parties find ways to continue to work within that consensus, rather than challenging it.”
As of press time, the BC Greens’s 2024 platform did not contain explicit mention of international students.
BC NDP
In January, the BC NDP government announced a
two-year pause on new international student applications at newly established post-secondary institutions to “eliminate exploitive practices and improve the quality of post-secondary education,” according to Global News.
It also established new restrictions to the Provincial Nominee Program (permanent residency) this May.
Prest said this move was possibly a result of a consensus among the electorate that international students put pressure on matters like housing supply.
“It’s difficult to assess just how much things like temporary foreign workers and international students matter because of constraints on housing supply,” said Prest. “I think that the two-year pause is in part to try to address that perception, and I think it’s also to give the government a chance to take a harder look at what actually is happening.”
The NDP government also introduced a new Education Quality Assurance code which necessitates institutions elevate standards for supporting and protecting international students. Some of the guidelines include limiting international enrolment to 30 per cent of an institution’s total enrolment and providing tuition fee transparency to prevent unexpected international student fee increases. UBC’s international enrolment on the Vancouver campus for 2023/24 was around 28 per cent.
The NDP asked the federal government to change its cap on international students to allow more students into high-demand fields such as transport work, nursing and early childhood education.
“We can’t have this cap impacting our healthcare system or the availability of child care, or the ability to build the homes that we need,” said BC NDP leader and Premier David Eby to reporters in January.
Eby also said a “federally-dictated cap” on international students could have “profound and negative impacts.” The BC NDP’s 2024 platform mentions reallocating immigration targets to provincial governments regarding international students.
However, the NDP shares the federal government’s goal of reducing the overall numbers of international students, according to Vancouver Sun reporting. U
EXPLAINED //
words by Alexandra Smitton illustrations by Calla Campbell
Since the toxic drug crisis was declared a public health emergency in 2016, around 14,000 British Columbians have died due to unregulated drugs. In 2023, around 2,500 people died from unregulated drugs — according to the BC Coroners Service, this increase is largely due to drug toxicity.
The Ubyssey summed up each party’s platform to help UBC community members make an informed vote.
BC CONSERVATIVE PARTY
In a September 22 media release, Conservative leader John Rustad announced the party’s commitment to closing safe injection site in the City of Richmond. There are currently no safe injection or supervised consumption sites (SCS) in Richmond.
The party plans to recriminalize illicit substances, reversing the NDP’s decriminalization policies In 2023, Health Canada granted BC a three-year exemption to the federal Controlled Drug and Substances Act, allowing the decriminalization of small amounts of certain illicit substances, such as heroin, morphine, fentanyl, cocaine, meth and ecstasy for personal use in private spaces, shelters, outpatient addiction clinics, supervised consumption sites and drug-checking service locations across BC.
The Conservatives said it “will shift [focus] from enabling addiction to providing life-saving treatment and recovery services” including involuntary care.
But on September 27, the party clarified it would not immediately shut down SCS or overdose prevention sites (OPS). OPS focus primarily on providing a safe space for substance use to prevent overdoses, while SCS provide a broader range of health services, including medical supervision, counselling and access to treatment programs.
According to Dr. Michael John Milloy, a UBC assistant professor and researcher in social medicine at the British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, finding an alternative for toxic drugs is the number
one priority for many people who use drugs.
“Supervised injection facilities like Insite, showed scientific evaluation that people who use Insite were far more likely to get into detox, to get into rehab, than people who were not using Insite,” said Milloy.
Insite Supervised Injection Site is the closest SCS to UBC’s Point Grey campus.
“We have a regulated supply of alcohol, we have a regulated supply of tobacco, we have a regulated supply of cannabis. That doesn’t mean the problems of alcohol, tobacco and cannabis will go away, but it does protect people from using substances … that are contaminated,” said Milloy. “That’s the root of the overdose crisis.”
BC GREEN PARTY
The BC Green Party wants “to implement a regulated drug supply and support robust harm reduction services” when it comes to substance use.
Green Party leader Sonia Furstenau criticized other parties for “vague promises” on drug policy and the importance of evidence-based treatment, prevention and education, according to CityNews reporting.
If elected, the Greens plan to propose a “demedicalized model” to provide “regulated, pharmaceutical alternatives to the illicit drug market to reduce fatalities associated with substance use.” The party said it will also explore non-prescriber models in collaboration with health authorities and advocacy groups. It also aims to reduce stigma and improve access to regulated drugs, providing safer options to people at risk of overdose.
In addition to harm reduction, the Greens intend to regulate treatment and recovery programs by establishing evidence-based standards and creating a centralized database to ensure quality care. A key part of its platform is enhancing drug education and mental health support in schools.
Milloy said small projects have previously successfully handed out regulated alternatives.
“There’s a group called the Drug User Liberation Front … [it’s] a plausible way of providing a regulated alternative to people so that they don’t die from the unregulated drugs,” said Milloy. “But it is largely an unregulated field which needs standards and enforcement and things of that nature.”
“The reflex in our society is for people not to talk about these things, and that makes things worse, because it puts the pressure on the individual to change ... the evidence tells us that we need society to change.”
BC NDP
Since 2017, the BC NDP has expanded harm reduction services across the province. In 2020, the NDP government introduced a prescribed safe supply program, which allowed people access to prescribed opioids as a safer alternative to unregulated substances. The province also facilitated BC’s threeyear exemption to the federal Controlled Drug and Substances Act
BC NDP leader and Premier David Eby told the CBC that drug decriminalization “didn’t work” because of an increase in substance use in public spaces like hospitals and transit.
If elected, the NDP plans to provide involuntary care for people struggling with addiction, brain injuries and mental illness. This includes establishing long-term care at secure regional facilities under the Mental Health Act
In response to involuntary care, Milloy said “it’s stupendously clear to me that if you do not have consent from someone, it is not treatment. That is the foundation of our medical system.
“We’re only allowed to treat people who consent to that truth.”
“I’m very concerned about the possibility of negative unintended consequences where people who are involuntarily treated leave and then go back to a toxic drug supply.” U
EXPLAINED //
words by Niharika Narang
illustrations by Adriel Yusgiantoro
Transit trips to and from UBC have more than tripled over the last 25 years, with around 20,000 trips a day in 1997 to over 65,000 trips a day in 2022, according to a 2023 statement from UBC Media Relations Director of University Affairs Matthew Ramsey.
As the cost of living increases and transit becomes more popular, public transportation is a key priority for voters.
The Ubyssey summed up each party’s platform to help UBC community members make an informed vote.
The BC Conservatives’ platform centres on upgrading infrastructure and fixing TransLink’s financial issues to ensure transit is reliable and affordable.
The party promises to rebuild or expand multiple bridges and highways — including expanding Highway 1 and replacing the George Massey Tunnels. It also promises to extend SkyTrain lines to Newton in Surrey and extend TransLink services to Squamish.
John Rustad, the leader of the Conservative Party, said his party would offer TransLink two years of stop-gap funding, rather than “billion-dollar bailouts” as an audit occurs “to ensure the long-term availability of funding,” according to the party’s website.
BC GREEN PARTY
The BC Green Party has committed to making transit free for riders and will provide “immediate funding for TransLink to maintain and expand service levels in 2025,” according to the party’s platform.
The Greens also plan to “convene a roundtable with Indigenous, Federal, Regional, and Municipal governments” to “determine next steps to bring rail [transit] back to Vancouver Island.”
The party also committed to delivering regular bus service across BC and requiring the province to spend “at least as much on public transit, walking, and cycling as on highway infrastructure and operations” by reducing the subsidy car drivers receive to promote “equitable transportation funding.”
BC NDP
In 2021, the BC NDP implemented free transit for children under 12 years old as a step toward its goal to make transit more affordable for families. In 2018, in response to Greyhound Canada’s decision to stop services to Northern BC, the government attempted to fill the gap with BC Bus North service — which has still left some communities isolated and struggling to travel.
Now, the NDP promises to expand SkyTrain services with the Broadway Subway and the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain projects. The party said the Broadway Subway could save commuters who ride buses along the Broadway corridor an average of 30 minutes a day. The new line is expected to open in 2027.
The NDP also committed to continuing the ongoing Pattullo Bridge construction and upcoming George Massey Tunnel replacement. The party has also promised to complete the SkyTrain Millennium Line extension from Arbutus to UBC — a project that has been repeatedly delayed. U
words by Bernice Wong
photos by Isabella Ma
Faculty, students and members of the Vancouver community gathered on October 10 to hear from UBC professors on the shifting political landscape and how the 2024 provincial election may shape BC’s future.
The panel, co-hosted by UBC’s department of political science and the UBC Office of Government Relations, featured UBC political science professors Drs. Kathryn Harrison, Carey Doberstein and Stewart Prest.
The panelists’ discussion focused on BC’s three political parties — the BC Conservative Party, the BC Green Party and the BC NDP — and those parties’ differing approaches to key election issues, ranging from housing and health care to climate change and Vancouver’s toxic drug crisis.
The panel was moderated by Shachi Kurl, president of the Angus Reid Institute.
Kurl began the discussion by providing the audience with the context that, for the first time in decades, the BC Conservative Party is poised to potentially threaten the NDP’s seven consecutive years as BC’s governing party.
“This is an unprecedented time in BC politics,” said Kurl.
Prest said this election marks a departure from previous provincial contests because younger voters — once a reliable base for the NDP — are now increasingly siding with the Conservatives. He also said a large set of BC’s population has felt “left behind” with tensions surrounding housing, sustainability and the toxic drug crisis.
“There is a dissatisfaction with government that we see in much of the democratic world,” Prest said.
Many British Columbians are struggling to buy homes or even find affordable rental units, while others have seen their real estate investments grow significantly in value. This division, Prest said, complicates the government’s ability to take decisive action, as different segments of the population have conflicting interests.
On the topic of affordability, Prest said certain things are simply outside the control of the provincial government, such as rates of inflation or banking structures.
“We are working at the margins,” said Prest, referring to the magnitude of change that provincial politicians can enact.
Harrison echoed the limited role that the provincial government can play in affecting major policy change by talking about the re-emergence of the debate around the carbon tax. In 2008, BC became the first Canadian jurisdiction to implement a carbon tax. Recently, NDP leader and Premier David Eby said his party will end the province’s long-standing carbon tax and shift the burden to larger polluters, if the federal government dropped its requirement for the law.
The conversation then shifted to health care, another critical issue in the election.
“Hundreds of thousands of British Columbians don’t have access to a primary care provider,” said Doberstein.
Doberstein also said there’s a dwindling number of practicing health care staff.
“We have data that suggests that new generations of family doctors work 15 hours per week less than the generation prior because they want to establish a work-life balance,” he said. Doberstein also said this is causing a shortfall in health care accessibility.
A recent study by the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that physicians’ work hours have been declining since 1997, indicating a long-term shift in work preferences among Canadian physicians who are seeking more of a work-life balance. Furthermore, over 38 per cent of family physicians in BC are 55 or older, with twothirds of them over 60.
Doberstein also said health care quality differs in urban versus rural areas. Coming from Merritt, a small city in BC’s interior, he said rural areas often experience problems with short staffing and the ER being closed.
The implications of these health care shortages are prompting another discussion on whether health care should be publicly or privately funded. Doberstein used the example of the NDP’s recent program which sends cancer patients to for-profit clinics in Bellingham, Washington — which has caused some backlash concerning the government’s decision to pay this substantial premium.
On the issue of climate change, Harrison highlight-
ed stark differences between NDP and Conservatives platforms. Harrison said the Conservatives acknowledge human-caused climate change, but its proposed policies still do not reflect a sense of urgency.
She said the Conservatives are planning to scrap the NDP’s CleanBC plan and propose to build new gas plants. The party is also looking to repeal carbon taxes. She said these changes would increase emissions.
Harrison said the NDP platform is calling for a clean energy future and has a goal to double BC’s clean electric capacity by 2050. Despite this, she does not see the province being able to meet its 2030 emissions reduction goals under these proposed NDP policies.
“This election will have huge implications for what happens with BC’s climate and energy policies,” said Harrison.
The panel also discussed BC’s ongoing toxic drug crisis. More than 21,000 people have died from an overdose since the province declared the toxic drug crisis a public health emergency in 2016.
“What is interesting to me is 20 years ago, we had an all-party consensus,” said Doberstein.
“Now, the drugs are much different,” he said, bringing up the example of xylazine, which has effects that can’t be reversed with naloxone. He said the crisis is causing people to “lose patience” in harm reduction strategies.
THE
“We are definitely seeing an election that is about young people,” said Prest.
Prest also said youth engagement can involve a wide variety of activities besides voting, including volunteering with parties or engaging in other political activities. Young voters, said Prest, aren’t as engaged in voting as they used to be.
Prest said increasing voter turnout can happen through “socialization to voting,” since the single best way to predict if someone voted is to see if they voted in the last election. Building that habit is integral to increasing voting rates and encouraging a younger population to cast their vote, said Prest.
“They [youth] can make a tremendous difference.” U
words by Bernice Wong
photos by Sidney Shaw
On October 11, students gathered in the Great Hall to meet provincial candidates and hear their opinions on key policy issues at an AMS-hosted mixer and debate.
Three candidates attended the debate, including Vancouver-Point Grey Green Party Candidate Dr. Devyani Singh, Port Coquitlam Green Party Candidate Adam BremnerAkins and Vancouver-West End NDP Candidate Spencer Chandra Herbert.
To begin the debate, candidates provided a brief introduction about their experience and motivation for running,
“I’m here fighting because I believe the BC Greens have the best policy for students,” said Bremner-Akins, a fourthyear political science student at SFU.
Singh, a climate scientist and economist, echoed Bremner-Atkins’ support for the Green Party and said “the [Greens are the] only party in this election that truly cares for the planet.”
Chandra Herbert said he has been the MLA for Vancouver-West End since 2008, “advocating for renters and advocating for human rights.”
No representatives from the BC Conservative Party were in attendance. AMS VP External Ayesha Irfan confirmed party candidates were invited, but declined to
attend.
Candidates largely agreed there is not enough student housing in BC.
“We’ve never built as much student housing as fast in this province,” Chandra Herbert said, referring to the NDP Party’s student housing initiatives that have resulted in thousands of new units.
“You have to build the right kind of supply,” said Singh. Speaking to her experience in graduate school at UBC, she said there needs to be a focus not only on undergraduate student housing, but on housing for graduate students and students with families.
“We need to take a holistic approach when it comes to housing,” said Bremner-Akins. He said students should not be “forced into subsidized university housing,” when they eventually will have to face the housing market. Instead, he said students should have the option to live off-campus and afford to do so.
“It’s good to invest in student housing, but that’s not going to solve our problems forever,” he said.
Next, the candidates spoke about the SkyTrain extension and the future of public transit.
“I support extending it all the way to UBC,” said Singh.
She said student commute times could be spent doing other activities.
Bremner-Akins said the Greens are committed to extending transit further into the interior and doubling the number of buses in four years.
Chandra Herbert spoke to the NDP’s past successes in increasing public transit services, highlighting the party’s SkyTrain expansion into Langley.
He also said the NDP is committed to creating rapid transit across the North Shore and extending the SkyTrain to UBC.
In closing statements, candidates reiterated the core of their platforms and encouraged students to vote.
Bremner-Akins said he hopes to create a future for people where they do not need to worry about issues surrounding affordability and living.
Singh emphasized the importance of the climate and the impact this election can have on the planet.
Chandra Herbert urged students to vote and said engagement in a democracy is vital to maintaining civility and building a better future.
“Regardless of what your political beliefs are, who you’re involved in, stay involved.” U
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