B.C. party leaders make pitches to swing ridings as campaign tightens

Backed by a crew of ship builders at Seaspan's dockyard in North Vancouver, B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad pledged to overhaul BC Ferries by modernizing its vessels and building new ones with federal funding.

“The ability to be able to move our economy forward, to be able to make sure that we can build the vessels that we'd like to see right here in British Columbia,” Rustad said of his plans on Thursday.

His campaign promises include improving service and fares and introducing a monthly flat fee for regular travellers.

Thursday's announcements are likely aimed at swaying ferry users on Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast, in potential swing ridings.

“Any seats that the Conservatives can flip could well be critical, and clearly they are playing for those up Island votes with a promise of better ferry service,” said Hanish Telford, a political scientist at the University of the Fraser Valley.

NDP Leader David Eby started his day Thursday with a roundtable in Coquitlam, the site of two key swing ridings held by the NDP, pitching a payment model for doctors that has attracted more than 800 new family physicians to B.C.

“The pace of connection of people to their family doctors is only going to speed up,” he said.

“We're projecting 160,000 more people in the next six months will get a family doctor through our health connect registry.”

Eby said his party will also entice doctors here from abroad with provisional licenses. With more than 700,000 British Columbians still without their own GP, many more are needed, he said.

“I’m not pretending for a second that the problem is solved for you and your family, but what I can tell you is we're making progress.”

Rustad continued his day by heading to Victoria and Langford.

Eby carried on with his by casting a ballot in advance voting, one of six such chances for British Columbians to decide which leader they want captaining the ship on ferries, healthcare, and everything else.