A council candidate for Vancouver’s right-leaning Non-Partisan Association raised a few eyebrows at an all candidates forum after she said she was the last “normal” person to buy a home in her west side neighbourhood.
In what she later called at a news conference Thursday “a moment of levity”, Suzanne Scott said her statement was meant to be humorous, but few people laughed at the all-candidates meeting.
The words came in response to a question put forward by CTV’s Jon Woodward, a panelist at the meeting, about how someone of average income could afford to buy a home in Vancouver.
“My street is changing,” she said at Thursday’s news conference. “I think many of our neighbourhoods are changing in Vancouver and that’s what I was referring to.”
“I was referring to the average family being able to purchase homes in my neighbourhood,” she added.
The question was also put to NPA mayoral candidate Kirk LaPointe, who stated Scott’s words were being taken out of context.
“In some cases in our many all-candidates debates, many of our candidates have been goaded into saying things, been triggered and we’re all endeavouring to do our best to answer all the questions,” he said as Scott nodded behind him.
In the video, Scott is also said with home prices as they are, Vancouver residents should consider buying property in places like Prince George where property is cheaper.
One person who is also not laughing is Vision Vancouver councilor Geoff Meggs.
“That’s to say to everyone who’s working in hospitality, tourism—frankly the majority—if you can’t afford housing here, you should go somewhere else,” said Vision Vancouver Councilor Geoff Meggs. “It’s the wrong answer. We need to provide housing for people who are working and living here already.”
Voters across B.C. go to the polls for municipal elections on Saturday.
With files from CTV’s Mi-Jung Lee
