NDPA busy week in NDP leadership race 2011, leadership, campaign, another, process

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NDPA busy week in NDP leadership race
Just weeks left before the vote
Dan Burritt Mar 27, 2011 20:46:39 PM
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) - They rolled out plans for raising revenues, protecting renters, and they even gathered a few more endorsements along the way. News1130 is looking back at another busy week in the BC NDP leadership campaign.

Adrian Dix got behind renters with a multi-point plan. "First, to give tenants the right of first refusal to stop the process of renovictions. Secondly, we want to get rid of what's called the geographic market test."

He also wants eviction statistics to be kept and made public.

John Horgan picked endorsements from MLAs Gary Coons and Robin Austin. In his education plan, Horgan pledged enforced class size limits for grades 1 through 3 and restoring teachers' rights to collective bargaining.

As for his style, Horgan says he's a combination of many people he's run into. "I've been influenced by Conservatives, I've been influenced by Liberals, I've been influenced by Greens. But at the end of the day, when I put my head on the pillow, I'm a New Democrat, always have been, always will be."

Dana Larsen found a receptive audience during an all-candidates debate in Nelson for his support of legalizing marijuana and promoting industrial hemp farming to help people get work.

He also urged party members to use the preferential ballot and mark him down.

Mike Farnworth got another endorsement shot in the arm from former Vancouver MLA Bernie Simpson. He says Farnworth reminds him of one Mike Harcourt, saying Farnworth has the skills to win a majority government that speaks to all British Columbians.

Meanwhile, Nicholas Simons says he wants to take a closer look at how to fill government coffers. "I'm looking at trying to get experts together to think about all possible sources of revenue and have a considered look at all that, that includes taxes, that includes fairness of taxes, are the taxes that we're paying appropriate?"

Simons also says he's not worried about a lack of MLA endorsements. "Ultimately, it's a decision that the members of the party have to make. I respect that, and I think, you know, people are making decisions based on a lot of factors, and I have no problem with that whatsoever."

He says he plans to stay in the race until April 17.

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