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Stockwell Day warns of vote-splitting in mid-Island

The B.C. Liberals have parachuted another big political name into Parksville-Qualicum to warn against a potential vote split with the B.C. Conservatives.
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B.C. Premier Christy Clark listens to President of the Treasury Board Stockwell Day as they speak to the media in Vancouver, March 4, 2011. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

The B.C. Liberals have parachuted another big political name into Parksville-Qualicum to warn against a potential vote split with the B.C. Conservatives.

Former federal Conservative cabinet minister Stockwell Day is urging mid-Vancouver Island voters not be tempted by the B.C. Conservatives.

Day, who has been travelling the province to campaign on behalf of the B.C. Liberals, stopped in Nanaimo and Parksville-Qualicum on Saturday.

"I'm basically getting the message out that I'm not only supporting the B.C. Liberals but sending a message to people who are thinking of voting B.C. Conservative that, respectfully, I'm asking them to reconsider that vote," said Day.

"At this point, with the gap closing between Christy [Clark] and Adrian Dix, every vote is really going to count and the B.C. Conservative vote is dropping every day. There's no way they can win."

What the Conservatives can do though - and what the Liberals increasingly fear - is split off enough centre-right wing voters to allow the B.C. NDP to easily walk to victory in certain ridings. It's of particular concern for the Liberals in Parksville-Qualicum, where the B.C. Conservatives are fielding a strong candidate in Dr. David Coupland, a Nanaimo radiologist.

"I'm asking B.C. Conservatives to please not help the NDP by voting Conservative, but to vote B.C. Liberal," said Day.

Day is the second politician brought in by the Liberals to warn of vote-splitting in Parksville. Jack Weisgerber, the former leader of the B.C. Reform party, expressed similar concern in late April when Liberal leader Christy Clark visited the riding.