Eby says he'll focus on NDP's record in B.C., but can't resist more digs at Rustad

B.C. NDP Leader David Eby, centre, and Richmond-Steveston NDP candidate Kelly Greene, second left, speak with supporters during a campaign stop in Richmond, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024 THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns

New Democrat Leader David Eby says he's focusing his provincial election campaign on commitments to B.C. residents after acknowledging he didn't speak enough about his team's work on the cost of living at Tuesday's debate.

But in his first scheduled appearance after the sole televised debate of the closely fought election, Eby repeatedly turned back to his opponent, saying B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad was "vague" about his plans, and pointed out again that the B.C. Conservatives had not released their costed platform.

Eby devoted much of his time at the debate to attacking Rustad, and the NDP platform released last week mentioned Rustad by name 56 times, compared with 29 times for Eby.

"He needs to be clear about what his plans are, what he's going to cut, what's not going to be available for families, so people can make a good decision for themselves and for their communities about which direction we go," Eby said Wednesday of Rustad.

Leaders from B.C.'s three main political parties met onstage Tuesday for their first and only televised debate, going toe-to-toe over issues including health care, housing and the toxic drug crisis.

Rustad was nowhere to be seen on the campaign trail after the debate on Wednesday, while B.C. Green leader Sonia Furstenau went to an Irish Pub in Vancouver to make a public safety message.

Eby was in Richmond, where he and Richmond-Steveston NDP candidate Kelly Greene met with six supporters from multi-generational families who, seated around a dining room table, described how the NDP's plans would help them.

Eby reflected on the previous night, telling reporters he was "wired" and had trouble falling asleep after the debate, adding that he would see his performance as successful if those watching at home felt he was focused on their priorities.

"That was my goal. That continues to be my goal. What drives me is being focused on addressing the issues people face in their daily lives," he said.

Eby repeatedly attacked Rustad on various social stances during the debate, calling him an "anti-vaxxer" who is "embarrassing" the province. Rustad said he was "not anti-vax, I'm anti-mandate."

Eby said in Richmond it was "critical" people knew where Rustad stood.

"There is a pretty stark choice between the two parties that are running a full set of candidates, and that choice is going to make a difference for the future of our province," he said.

Eby said his government was "finally making progress" and that the province "can't turn back now," pointing to what he said were decreasing rental costs and a goal for every resident to have a family doctor by 2025.

Furstenau told reporters on Wednesday that if her party won the election she would disband the RCMP's Critical Response Unit, saying the level of "violence and harm" caused by the unit "has drawn criticism worldwide."

The unit was tasked to police protests against resource extraction but is being investigated by the RCMP’s federal watchdog agency after it accepted complaints alleging the use of excessive force, illegal tactics and unprofessional behaviour.

Furstenau also promised to set up a task force for missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirited people to address "systemic inequalities."

"The BC Greens are committed to ensuring that the justice system is truly about justice and that it reflects the systemic issues that we are yet to address in our society, including racism, poverty, and the toxic drug crisis," said Furstenau.

If elected, Furstenau said her party will start working with family members of the victims of serial killer Robert Pickton to address the sense of unfairness felt by the families of his victims.

"This was the worst example of failure on the part of the police, and so in order to restore that trust and that confidence, the work has to begin in the community with the people that were affected, with the families," said Furstenau.

The B.C. Conservatives confirmed Wednesday that Rustad had no public events planned for the day, with the party's only event on its website being a meet-and-greet with Salmon Arm-Shuswap candidate David Williams in Armstrong, B.C.

David Black, an associate professor at the school of communications and culture at Royal Roads University, said it was unusual for a party leader to not make a public appearance after a debate since it was an opportunity for parties to shape the message to voters delivered on stage.

“That's when — the day after — people's impressions are hardening into views and opinions,” Black said, adding that this applied especially to close election races and debates in which no clear winner emerged.

“People are beginning to decide, if you think in these terms, who won or lost or which leader do I like, or which one I don't," he said. “It's that after-debate shaping of opinion that is as important as a debate performance itself.”

He said Rustad still has an opportunity to shape his debate messages to voters this week, since that crucial moment when opinions are still forming can last 48 hours or even a few days after a debate.

“I think if a leader is absent from that, if they make themselves unavailable, I do fear — and this would be true of any leader — that there is something that they are concerned might be asked of them post-debate that would be embarrassing, that they’re defensive about something,” Black said.

Furstenau gained some high-profile endorsement on Wednesday from actor and environmental activist Mark Ruffalo.

Ruffalo posted his praise on social media platform X, saying that while the Irish Green Party backtracked on LNG, Furstenau is committed to ending LNG expansion and fossil fuel subsidies, while prioritizing people's health and well-being.

Furstenau said she was thrilled to hear of the endorsement by Ruffalo, who played the role of lawyer Robert Bilott in the movie "Dark Waters," which dramatized a legal fight against the chemical manufacturing corporation DuPont.

“I'm very grateful to Mark Ruffalo for recognizing that there is a serious political party in British Columbia that takes the moment we're in seriously.

"I just wish that the other leaders would stand up with me and also take it as seriously as I do,” said Furstenau.

With files from Nono Shen in Vancouver 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 9, 2024.