Vernon-Lumby NDP candidate looking to win third election

“We’ve taken many projects to the finish line during my last term, but there’s still so much I’d like to see happening. For example, the Vernon Jubilee Hospital psychiatric expansion, addressing the droughts and wildfires, jobs and the economy, housing. I would like to be part of that and delivering for the community.”

Sandhu also said she remains committed to being open and available to the public and working with people who have different political ideals to deliver results for all British Columbians.

The candidate said the NDP have plans to “stand up” for British Columbians and address a number of key issues the province has been facing, among topics including:

Healthcare

“We’ve funded a new maternity clinic, expanded dialysis clinic, we’re opening a second Urgent Primary Care Centre, and, of course, we have a commitment from the province to expand the mental health hospital at Vernon Jubilee Hospital,” Sandhu said.

“I would love to see those projects going across the finish line and, of course, helping individuals and working with the community to strengthen our healthcare services.”

The NDP have also touted work that has brought over 1,000 doctors into the province from the United States.

Housing

“Province-wide, we have built or have underway more than 96,000 housing units, and that includes all sorts of housing,” the NDP candidate told Vernon Matters.

“In addition to that, we promised before forming government in 2017 to build 7,000 student housing units, but we delivered more than 8,000 in collaboration with partners, which is changing lives and empowering students.”

Sandhu added the Speculation and Vacancy Tax and the Short-Term Rental Regulations have also resulted in increased rental supply, though she did note more needed to be done to bring more housing online and reduce rental rates.

“We will continue to build housing, we will continue to support people, whether it’s through student housing or housing for seniors or individuals.”

Economy

“My goal and my advocacy remains that we need to create enough opportunity to empower youth so they don’t have to leave our communities for work,” Sandhu stated.

“That’s why we’re investing in Future Ready Skills grants and investing more than $400-million in the Trades and Apprenticeships program.”

Sandhu stated affordability also remains a key issue, and pointed to efforts made to address that such as keeping car insurance and hydro rates low, and delivering affordable child care locally and across the province.

“We need to continue to make such investments and do more to create opportunities for people and families so they can make a decent living while living in our own communities.”

Public Safety

“First and foremost, at the time Attorney General, Niki Sharma, and the premier championed and advocated for premiers across the country to call for bail reform, and the federal government came on board and pledged to address that,” Sandhu said.

“Also, we’ve introduced, funded, and strengthened funding for Repeat Violent Offending Intervention Initiative program which was expanded. Under that program, as of my last recollection, there was close to 500 people being monitored, whereas, if that program did not exist, those people would be roaming around freely and likely to recommit crimes.”

Sandhu also said close to 250 new RCMP members had been hired across B.C. recently, 240 new training seats had been created at the Justice Institute, and that the government had invested in creating supportive housing and treatment beds across the province, including in Vernon.

Climate Change and Wildfires

Sandhu said, in response to the White Rock Lake wildfire in 2021, she and other local representatives advocated for funding to go towards fighting fires and mitigating fire risks all year long, resulting in the province investing $15-million into these ventures within the Okanagan.

She noted the investment created jobs and enhanced the B.C. Wildfire Service’s ability to protect communities, watersheds, and other assets.

“We, as NDP, believe proactive measures save us more. Yes these are investments, other parties may call it spending, but these are investments and will save us a lot more than if we don’t address it,” Sandhu stated.

The candidate also stated the province had invested $100-million to upgrade water infrastructure across B.C. to prepare for droughts, noting those events impact agriculture, tourism, and the economy as a whole, though she did note more investments should be made in order to be more prepared in the future.

In addition to these issues, Sandhu said she wanted to ensure the Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA) remained protected, as both the Conservative Party of B.C. and OneBC have indicated they want it repealed.

“I want to make it very clear that human rights are not only right’s of people, of a particular person presented in these bills, these are the rights of everyone,” Sandu said.

“They could be the rights of seniors, the rights of women, the rights of people with disabilities, vulnerable people. Those people forget they won’t even have a right to vote, let alone sit as an MLA, if they lose their rights.

“We were one vote away from getting this work undone, this work that many people and activists have done decades of work to build on the progress. We can’t go back.”

Sandhu added the NDP has been working with all levels of government to deliver investments in infrastructure, schools and child care, affordable housing, services, and hospitals, and wanted to see that work progress further.

The NDP’s full platform can be found online here.

Votes for the provincial general election will be cast Oct. 24, with early voting opening Oct. 16.

by Liam Verster

Vernon-Lumby NDP candidate looking to win third election

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