BC Liberal Party leader hopeful Andrew Wilkinson was in 100 Mile House on Friday, Jan. 19.
Wilkinson is endorsed by Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett.
Among other things, the MLA for Vancouver-Quilchena said the provincial government needs to look out for smaller communities.
“In rural communities, and let’s take basically anywhere from 10,000 people and less. You get a problem with do you have the critical mass to keep a hospital to keep a doctor’s clinic to keep a high school. Because all of us know that if you shrink below a certain level, you go down a bit of a spiral.”
People are having fewer children and there’s a bit of an urbanization movement going, he said.
One of the things they tried is to get as many education programs into local centres, said Wilkinson.
“There are a lot of good jobs in rural British Columbia but the problem is we’re losing that kind of talent pool.”
There are similar situations in the Lower Mainland, says Wilkinson, because nobody can afford to buy a house.
“Whether it’s 100 Mile or Penticton or Green Lake, there’s a great way of life, but we gotta persuade the new generation, and there are fewer of them, remember that.”
Wilkinson joked when he was finishing up.
“What Donna Barnett is basically saying is ‘Andrew Wilkinson you’re alright. You’ve lived in Kamloops you’ve lived in the north. I buy all that. I think you’re capable. But let’s get this straight I’ll support you if you do as you’re told.’”
Barnett says she’s supporting Wilkinson because the party needs someone that can speak to both rural and urban British Columbians and because Wilkinson is willing to listen.
He admits that he doesn’t know everything, she says.
He’s worked as a doctor in northern B.C. and now he lives in the Lower Mainland so he understands both, she says.