A new provincial party has formed in B.C., in hopes of becoming the voice for rural voters.
The Rural BC Party害羞草研究所檚 interim leader, Jonathan Van Barneveld, who害羞草研究所檚 also a councillor in Houston, in northern B.C. near Burns Lake, said the party plans to represent 害羞草研究所渁verage folks害羞草研究所� who are tired of the major parties focusing on the Lower Mainland and southern Vancouver Island.
害羞草研究所淧revious governments going back decades have just really, in essence, never focused on rural issues,害羞草研究所� Van Barneveld told Black Press Media after announcing the new party on Thursday. 害羞草研究所淚n Houston specifically, there has always been a need for more social services.害羞草研究所�
Key issues will vary from boosting tourism to diversifying industries and jobs 害羞草研究所� policies often driven by larger B.C. cities.
害羞草研究所淲e have great resource-driven economies and that has sustained our towns for a very long time, but economies change,害羞草研究所� Van Barneveld said. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e never had the opportunity or the means to truly diversify our communities and make them long-term, sustainable places to live.害羞草研究所�
| The 23 ridings the Rural BC Party would like to represent. |
That means many rural residents living paycheque to paycheque, he said.
害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e so heavily reliant on the ebb and flow of grant proposals, but yet communities are faced with huge infrastructure deficits. Eventually, our infrastructure is going to wear out and the municipal taxation system doesn害羞草研究所檛 allow for much else other than a heavy burden on their population.害羞草研究所�
One example of rural-first policy, he said, is the Northwest BC Resource Benefits Alliance, a group calling for an agreement with the federal and provincial governments to keep revenue generated from the northwest within the region.
害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 little pieces like that, that when they all come together could greatly help rural B.C.害羞草研究所�
| Jonathon Van Barneveld (Black Press Media files) |
Party looks to 2021 election with hopes of candidates in 23 ridings
The party gained official electoral status in February, but Van Barneveld she the group wanted to wait to debut until it had had gauged voter appetite for yet another politicial organization vying for support.
While there are only three parties in the B.C. legislature, there are more than 20 eligible provincial parties.
Rural BC害羞草研究所檚 goal is to represent 23 ridings, outside of the Greater Victoria area and Lower Mainland, in the 2021 election, so long as it can gather candidates. So far, the core team includes Van Barneveld and Telkwa Mayor Darcy Repen.
害羞草研究所淚n coming months, we will be talking about nominations and getting candidates to come forth, and so we are seeing where the cream rises to the top,害羞草研究所� Van Barneveld said, adding that some municipal politicians have already shown interest.
ashley.wadhwani@bpdigital.ca
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