British Columbia's snap election reached its set-piece moment on Wednesday night. The leaders of the province's three main parties faced off in their only televised debate of the campaign, broadcast from 6:15 p.m. to 8 p.m. Pacific time across CBC, Global BC, CTV, Citytv, CHEK and CPAC, and streamed widely online.
NDP Leader David Eby, interim Conservative leader Lorne Doerkson and Green Leader Emily Lowan took part, with Angus Reid Institute president Shachi Kurl moderating. Eby called the October 24 election two years ahead of schedule, saying he needs a stronger mandate to deal with U.S. tariffs; the Conservatives have argued the early call was cynical and costly.
The Greens were the first recognized party to release a full platform, on Tuesday, promising new health-care, education and social-service initiatives funded in part by a one-time tax on excessive wealth. Housing, health care, cost of living, public safety and the economy have dominated the campaign's issue list.
With advance voting already shaping up and just ten days left, Wednesday's debate was the one shared stage all three leaders will get. How each handled the cost-of-living and health-care questions — in a province where ER closures have been a recurring headline — is likely to be the clip that travels.
