Ahead of the federal election April 28, The Morning Star is giving Vernon-Lake Country-Monashee residents a look at where the local candidates stand on important issues.
1. Please explain how your party will improve access to housing for first-time buyers and/or individuals struggling to save a down payment at a time when the average home price across B.C. is around $964,000.
When the average home in B.C. costs nearly a million dollars, it鈥檚 clear the system is broken. The NDP will treat housing as a human right 鈥� not a playground for speculators. We鈥檒l unlock federal land to build affordable homes, invest in prefabricated housing to control costs, and ensure the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation works for families, not corporate landlords. Our plan gives first-time buyers access to low-interest, public-backed mortgages and builds hundreds of thousands of affordable homes so people can actually live in the communities where they work and raise their families.
2. If elected and your party doesn鈥檛 form as government, how will you best represent your riding?
Whether my party forms government or not, my job is the same: to fight for the people of Vernon-Lake Country-Monashee. I鈥檝e spent over a decade delivering real results as a Silverton councillor, RDCK director, and national advocate with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. I know how to get things done in Ottawa 鈥攁nd I know what rural communities like ours need to thrive. I鈥檒l work with anyone, from any party, if it helps our communities. I won鈥檛 play partisan games. I鈥檒l push relentlessly for affordable housing, better health care, food security, rural infrastructure, and a fair deal for our region. That鈥檚 what real representation looks like.
