
Being an effective MLA means more than just complaining about the issues facing our riding and province. It means being a problem solver and leader in Victoria. British Columbia is facing crises on many fronts: from a struggling economy to under-supported infrastructure and terribly slow progress on reconciliation.
Our riding is a microcosm of B.C., with our diverse towns, strong Indigenous community, and beautiful natural environment. However, a crisis of confidence has swept over us. A lack of leadership has made housing unaffordable, hurt small businesses, and shot up the price of groceries at the till.
Currently, I lead United Way Worldwide, a $5 billion charity and one of the largest in the world, which emphasizes building strong and equitable communities through supporting health development, education improvement, and economic mobility. I also volunteer with community conservation initiatives, mentoring programs for aspiring entrepreneurs, and efforts to combat homelessness. I understand what a community needs to thrive; I will be a leader and a problem solver in Victoria, putting our riding first.
Leadership means bringing down rent and mortgage costs at a time when monthly rent can often eat up anywhere from a third to more than half your monthly paycheque. That is why I will lead the charge in implementing the Rustad Rebate. The BC Conservatives and I will ensure that $3,000 monthly rent or mortgage interest costs will be exempt from provincial income taxes – the largest tax cut for renters and homeowners in B.C. history.
Leadership means advocating for a strong regional public transportation network that connects all of the Sea to Sky corridor. With Squamish booming and traffic disrupting our lives more and more, it is crucial to develop a corridor-wide transportation network. As your MLA, I will be best placed to advocate for this in a BC Conservative government.
It also means fighting to protect our small businesses – the backbone of our economy. This means having the courage to eliminate unnecessary regulations, such as the bag tax, and to stand up to big businesses, especially large and pricey grocery store chains, that try to push small and local businesses out of the way. The BC Conservatives and I will also reduce the small business tax by 50% so our small business leaders can reinvest in our community.
Leadership means having the courage to tackle the most difficult problems facing our community and our province – like healthcare. The long wait times for basic procedures, emergency room closures, and difficulty finding a family doctor are unacceptable failures in leadership by the NDP government.
As your MLA in a BC Conservative government, I will implement the ‘Patients First’ Model that provides universal healthcare for everyone under a single-payer system that delivers care through both public and non-governmental facilities for those stuck in lines for procedures longer than is medically recommended. I will also work to expand programs that incentivize doctors to work in high-need communities, especially rapidly growing towns like Squamish.
Leadership also means working closely with all community stakeholders to ensure that what is said and done in Victoria truly represents the whole riding, not just one section of it. I promise to work closely with you and with the Indigenous leaders, town councils, and not-for-profit and non-governmental organizations of our riding to find strong, local solutions to our current crisis of confidence. To ensure that cooperation is truly equal, I and the BC Conservatives will work to create a consistent, transparent, and fair process for consultation and cooperation. On October 19th, I hope you will join me and vote for Common Sense Change for British Columbia.
Yuri Fulmer is the BC Conservative MLA Candidate for West Vancouver-Sea to Sky. This is a sponsored feature.
Authorized by the Financial Agent for Yuri Fulmer, Desmond Chun, vote@yurifulmerbc.ca.