The NDP is accusing B.C. Premier Christy Clark of using taxpayer money to help win her a seat in the legislature after she announced a multi-million project in the neighbourhood where she is campaigning.
Clark announced $7 million in funding for a new housing complex for seniors and people with disabilities on Thursday. The project is planned for the 2300-block of West 8th Avenue, right in the middle of the Vancouver-Point Grey riding she is hoping to win in the May 11 byelection.
But Clark insists that the vote has nothing to do with the cash injection.
"No matter what riding I was running in, I would have been here today," she told reporters.
Nonetheless, Angus Reid Public Opinion pollster Mario Canseco says making an announcement targeting seniors makes sense for Clark's campaign because turnout for byelections is typically very low.
"Usually that is the group that votes the most. What we see is people over the age of 55 tend to vote more than middle-aged Canadians and younger Canadians. In that sense, that is definitely the vote they need in order to win the seat," he said.
New Democrat leader Adrian Dix is convinced the funding announcement is a deliberate campaign ploy.
"I don't think anyone is going to be fooled. These are public dollars. This is a project that was going to go ahead and it's being timed to boost the premier's chances," he said.
While Clark was making her announcement, her NDP opponent in the byelection, David Eby, held a news conference to address a lack of seismic upgrading in schools. No media representatives bothered to show up.
The premier has also declined to participate in all-candidates debates with Eby, saying she's too busy and would rather speak with constituents directly.
When she was asked to participate in a debate Wednesday night, Clark chose instead to hold a telephone town hall meeting. Her campaign team called every resident in the riding and invited them to pose pre-screened questions to the premier.
Clark says she spoke to about 2,000 people during the town hall, compared to about 70 people who attended the debate.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Rob Brown
