Kelowna is providing the stage for the 4th and last BC Liberal leadership debate of the year.
On Saturday morning, all six candidates will descend on the Capri Hotel to debate key issues as they vie for the party’s top job, which was left vacant by former premier Christy Clark when she resigned in August.
The leadership hopefuls include MLAs Todd Stone (Kamloops-South Thompson), Mike de Jong (Abbotsford West), Michael Lee (Vancouver-Langara), Sam Sullivan (Vancouver-False Creek) and Andrew Wilkinson (Vancouver-Quilchena), as well as former Conservative MP Dianne Watts.
Two of the candidates held news conferences in Kelowna on Friday.
Todd Stone, a former transportation minister, said the economy topped his list, with an emphasis on taxes.
“I believe the PST is too high, I believe it takes too much out of British Columbians’ wallets but I also know we need to grow the economy, to do something about it,” Stone said.
“So I am pledging here today we will work towards a one-per-cent reduction in the PST, this will be a priority.”
De Jong also held a news conference Friday.
Speaking at UBC-Okanagan, the former finance minister pledged a major investment into education, which he believes is the key to ending poverty.
He promised every school-aged child an annual grant of $500.
“So by the time that six-year-old is graduating from high school, they would have a minimum of $7,000 available to fund their post-secondary and training,” de Jong said.
Saturday’s leadership debate starts at 10:30 a.m. at the Capri Hotel.
It is free and open to the public.
The BC Liberals will choose their next leader on the first weekend in February.
Anyone who wants to vote must become a party member by Dec. 29.
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