The final days of the provincial election campaign are a study in contrasts, as the B.C. Conservative leader focuses on private fundraising events while the B.C. NDP leader carries out a whirlwind of campaign stops to shore up support in ridings the party risks losing. Lorne Doerkson has making campaign stops during the highly controversial snap election, where he’s been available for photo-ops but has not for questions from the media—seemingly following the old aphorism to “never interrupt your opponent when he is making a mistake.” Doerkson hasn’t taken questions since Monday but has been doing plenty of politicking with pep talks to volunteers in constituency offices and well-heeled supporters at private functions. Data published by Elections B.C. shows the party hosted “special event(s) in support of Lorne Doerksen” five times this month at various hotels and restaurants with tickets costing approximately $1,500 each. One of those events took place at a downtown Vancouver hotel on Wednesday afternoon but was not listed on the party’s website. CTV News has confirmed that event at the Wall Centre Hotel, and another event hours later at the Paradox Hotel that was originally ticketed but is now free, are both invite-only. “Every party in this province holds fundraisers, including the NDP,” a Conservative spokesperson wrote in an email. It provided ample fodder for David Eby to attack his main opponent at one of six campaign stops he made south of the Fraser, greeting New Democrat supporters and taking questions from media. “The conservatives are conducting themselves as if they’ve won the election, but they do not deserve anybody’s vote if they’re going to be campaigning in backrooms instead of in front of the cameras,” he said of the Conservative events. The latest line of attack from the NDP comes after the party drew criticism from the Greens as Eby tries to poach their voters, and allegations of fearmongering and spreading disinformation from the Conservatives. The flurry of campaign stops also suggests Eby is feeling the heat with some polls showing he’ll lose the race—in a snap election he chose to call while the opposition was in disarray and municipal politicians were in the midst of their own, scheduled election. “I hope that we can still agree that the issues in this election are not just election timing,” Eby argued. “Who will put your family’s priorities first instead of their donors? Who will talk to the media instead of (at) private fundraisers?”
