David Eby makes a final, late-night push for votes in Vancouver–Point Grey

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      It was just after 4:30 a.m. when the NDP tour bus pulled up in front of the fabled Naam restaurant in Kitsilano.

      Party leader Adrian Dix was nearing the end of a 24-hour campaign swing that will see him visit 14 communities, including Prince George, Williams Lake, Kamloops, and Courtenay.

      Looking spry as he jumped out of the vehicle with the NDP's candidate in Vancouver–Point Grey, David Eby, Dix headed into the 24-hour vegetarian hangout, where he ended up seated next to former NDP MP and former provincial NDP cabinet minister Ian Waddell.

      Many years ago, Dix worked as an aide to Waddell when he represented Vancouver Kingsway in Parliament.

      None of the trio was aware that the restaurant is owned by Bob Woodsworth, a relative of James Shaver Woodsworth, who was the first leader of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation during the Great Depression. The CCF was transformed into the NDP in 1961.

      It seemed like a fitting location near the end of a gruelling campaign, which could catapult the NDP into power for the first time in B.C. since the 1996 election.

      If the NDP wins in Vancouver–Point Grey, Eby will be one of the big stories later tonight because he will have upset a sitting premier, Christy Clark.

      She's been the B.C. Liberal MLA in Vancouver–Point Grey since she narrowly defeated Eby, former executive director of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, in a by-election in 2011.

      The last premier to lose a seat in a general election was former NDP premier Ujjal Dosanjh, who was beaten by the relatively unknown B.C. Liberal candidate, Patrick Wong, in Vancouver-Kensington in 2001.

      A decade earlier, then-Socred premier Rita Johnston was defeated in Surrey-Newton by Penny Priddy of the NDP.

      Prior to that, the last premier who lost his seat was Dave Barrett, who was upset by Socred George Kerster in Coquitlam in 1975.

      In an interview at the Naam, Eby told the Straight that the campaign has gone exceedingly well.

      "We've had a ton of volunteers," he said. "We've had a good, positive response in the community."

      Eby revealed that on doorsteps, he heard voters tell him they didn't know that Clark wasn't a resident of Vancouver–Point Grey until they saw her on TV voting in advance in Vancouver–Fairview.

      "It wasn't like 'how could she have screwed up her ballot?'," he said. "It was 'I had no idea she didn't live here.' "

      When asked what the top issue was on the doorstep during the campaign, Eby replied that it was "easily the environment".

      "There was tankers, pipelines, and climate change—and I think a lot of that is due to the Kinder Morgan proposal having such a direct effect on our community here," Eby stated.

      He expressed surprise that the B.C. Liberal government cut funding to postsecondary education in the recent budget. This occurred even though Clark is a candidate in a constituency that includes UBC's Point Grey campus.

      "I was really glad to be running on a platform on access to postsecondary education and skills training in this riding because people really get that here—the importance of a good education," Eby said. 

      Comments

      7 Comments

      Just Wondering

      May 14, 2013 at 7:51am

      I remember the kids working for the corporations for $6.00 an hour.
      I remember the lies,
      I remember the Railway and the 6,000,000.00 payout.
      I remember the budgets that never turned out the way they said.
      I remember the HST and how it was shoved down our throats for another two years after we voted it out.
      There is simple not enough room to write down all the atrocities committed by this bunch that call themselves the BC government but, I also remember that today is voting day! Good Luck Mr. Eby.

      NoNDP4Me

      May 14, 2013 at 8:27am

      These guys have no clue about the reality of the average working class guy. Their policies and the costs for their policies will drive us into the ground. I know I can't afford to pay anymore taxes.

      babalu1

      May 14, 2013 at 9:54am

      @NoNDP4ME

      If the corporations paid their fair share, you wouldn't have to. In the words of economist, Robert Reich, Labour Secretary under Bill Clinton: "Nothing ever trickles down."

      McBurp

      May 14, 2013 at 10:02am

      It's too late for anyone else to drive us into the ground, we're already there,the Clark Liberals beat everyone to it.

      HellSlayerAndy

      May 14, 2013 at 1:25pm

      Just Wondering said:
      "I remember the kids working for the corporations for $6.00 an hour." ???

      Clark raised the minimum wage? If anyone recalls Harcourt ran on a pledge to increase minimum wage and never did (BC couldn't afford during a recession, rem?) He left the minimum wage 'hot potato' to Glen Clark who merely raised it $1.50 in three increments to where it stood under Gordo?

      Is Dix pledging to raise it again or something? Currently in the US fastfood workers and their unions are wildcatting to raise the standard to $15.00/hr? Will Dix split the difference at least?

      Also one thing I rem is the NDP over the years complaining about Campbell's unconscionable MSP increases and in particular the unrealistically low threshold on the bottom earners? The NDP is proposing a reduction, are they?

      Agreed -- The Liberals are one of the worst and corrupt provincial in Canadian history...now can you provide something substantive for an informed voter to vote for since they won't vote Liberal?

      Didn't think so...

      cyborg

      May 14, 2013 at 3:45pm

      If Eby wins,tax dollars are going straight to the DTES and the poverty industry. Working mugs like me earning 30g year, no benefits will be the ones paying for it not the rich Dix, Edy and union hacks

      ivancurtis

      May 14, 2013 at 5:16pm

      i went to vote at 845 this morning. when i got back home at 9 there was an eby flyer on my front door telling me to vote, then at 915 eby's office robo-called my house telling me to vote, then a rep from his office knocked on my door 30 minutes later telling me to vote. i was under the impression that was illegal.

      illegal or not i thought it was totally patronizing and annoyed me.