New Democrat leader Adrian Dix sprinted to get his message out Monday, with a plan to campaign for 24 hours straight, making 15 election stops during his 1,700-kilometre tour as far north as Prince George.
He was set to continue his efforts to woo voters until 7 a.m. today, an hour before polls open.
Dix said that if the New Democrats win the election, the party would be inheriting a negative fiscal situation and a jobs plan that actually shed employment. He said the economy is a top priority and the New Democrats would work with business, labour and communities to invest in skills training.
“A platform that is pro-economic growth but takes care of our environment. We don’t believe that there’s a contradiction there,” he said in the opening hours of his 24-hour marathon.
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“I think that people who vote on the economy in this election need to seriously consider voting for the B.C. NDP,” he told reporters.
On a campaign swing through Courtenay, where he started the day, Dix said he always knew the election would be close.
“If people want change, they have to stick together and vote NDP. We want to govern and make things better for B.C. And that’s what this election is about.”
At a Courtenay coffee shop, he explained how he decided to go flat-out for 24 hours straight on the last day of the campaign:
“It was E minus 29 [29 days out from the election]. I was in the lobby of the Ramada in Prince George, just preparing to go to Vanderhoof and our campaign manager, Brian Topp, and I discussed the tour; he gave me an outline. I said, ‘I think we should do 24 hours on the last day.’ I think, of course, at E minus 29 when you make such decisions, you don’t imagine this day will ever come.”
Later, in Prince George, Dix highlighted his election tactics, saying he believes he has run a positive campaign that shows politics can be done differently.
“We’ve said … that we’re going to appeal to the hopes, the aspirations, the dreams of British Columbians,” he told about 100 supporters.
“The Liberals ran the most nasty, personal, attack campaign against me that I think has ever been run in B.C.,” he said.
“That’s the campaign they’ve run. We’ve stayed the course. And we’re going to continue to stay the course.”
In Williams Lake, Dix was greeted by a small but enthusiastic crowd at the airport.
“What time is it? It’s time for a change,” the two dozen people chanted.
Former B.C. Rail supervisor Wayne Potter showed up to greet Dix, saying he’s been waiting for more than a decade to see the NDP toss the Liberals from office.
“The Liberals devastated everything, including myself,” said Potter, adding he suffered a heart attack due partly to the stress of losing his railway job.
“I’ve been waiting for 10 years for this.”
At an airport rally in Kamloops, Dix pointed out the NDP lost the Kamloops North riding in 2009 by only 510 votes.
“Can you imagine waking up the day after the election and hearing the words, ‘Four more years?’ ” Dix told a crowd of supporters.
“That means we’ve got to continue to work hard.”
