NDP slams BC Liberals for voting against funding for cancer care

THE NDP on Monday slammed the BC Liberals for voting against Premier David Eby’s action to invest in growing communities, keep ferry fares low, and increase access to life-saving cancer diagnosis, treatment and research.

The NDP said that during supplementary estimates in the Legislature, the BC Liberals voted against:

  • $500 million for BC Ferries to avoid a 10% rate increase;
  • $1 billion to help growing communities with infrastructure priorities;
  • $150 million for the BC Cancer Foundation that is a key component of the $440 million BC’s Cancer Action Plan announced on February 24.

The NDP added that last week, “Kevin Falcon’s MLAs also voted against investing $150 million to upgrade the province’s aging 911 system and $75 million to accelerate reconciliation agreements between First Nations and the Province.”

The BC Liberals voted against a cancer plan that Dr. Kim Chi, the Chief Medical Officer with BC Cancer, called “the most significant investment in cancer care the province has ever seen.”

Also last week, Falcon told Global News that he opposes investing the province’s surplus on a series of supports for people.

NDP MLA Bob D’Eith said: “It’s disappointing that Kevin Falcon opposes David Eby’s action to improve life-saving cancer services, keeping ferry fares low, and investing in growing communities. Now is the time to keep investing to improve services like cancer care, not underfund and cut healthcare like Kevin Falcon and the BC Liberals did for 16 years.”