Horgan attacks on health care, while Wilkinson seeks debates

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Horgan used Tuesday’s rally in North Van to promise 10 new urgent- and primary-care centres in B.C. by the end of 2021 if re-elected. The centres connect patients to nurse practitioners, registered nurses, physiotherapists and doctors, and are seen as a way to alleviate the chronic family doctor shortage in the province.

The focus on health care Tuesday came as Horgan continued to face questions over his decision to call an early snap election, instead of honouring a written power-sharing deal with the B.C. Greens and serving until the scheduled election date of Oct. 16, 2021.

Horgan reiterated he wanted a vote now to “put the politics behind us” and cited the “level of contempt and the level of acrimony between the parties” in the spring legislative session as untenable. However, during the spring session, he had also cited the unparalleled level of co-operation between the parties.

He also said the Greens wanted additions to his planned February provincial budget, which were unacceptable.

“There was suggestions that support would not be forthcoming for the upcoming budget if certain things didn’t happen,” Horgan said. “I don’t believe that’s the type of attitude that we need, when we’re going through a pandemic.”

In response, B.C. Green Leader Sonia Furstenau released a letter she had written Horgan on Friday asking the two parties to collaborate on a green economy, economic reform, health care, the overdose crisis, child care, endangered species, poverty reduction and affordability. It wasn’t immediately clear if these were the issues Horgan cited as unacceptable demands for the budget.