First of a two part series featuring the four Fraser-Nicola MLA candidates answering the Herald’s questions.

Next Thursday’s Herald will feature Jackie Tegart of the Liberals and John Kidder of the Green Party.

Harry Lali, NDP

What is your background? What experiences make you a good candidate?

I am a former sawmill worker, was a member of the IWA/Steelworkers Local 1-417, and co-owned a sporting goods store. I am a past-councillor for the City of Merritt, have been elected MLA four times, served as Parliamentary Secretary for forests and was the Minister of Transportation and Highways . I have 18 years of experience in government and know how to get the job done, and have a proven track record of delivering for my constituency.

What can be done to bring jobs to the area and improve the economy?

The BC government needs to support research and development plus innovation in value-added products and technology – an example would be our forests, mining and ranching industries, with the abundance of resources in our back yard. Government also needs to partner with industry, small business, communities and the tourism industry and aggressively market and promote our pristine environment, multi-cultural mosaic, and First Nations heritage, plus re-instate the “Buy BC Products” program.

What are your policies to improve rural healthcare and education?

The NDP will provide $45 million to rebuild our rural healthcare centres. We will also develop a Rural Acute Care Initiative to improve acute care and emergency services in hospitals across B.C. – this includes rebuilding basic surgery, obstetrics, diagnostics and critical care in rural hospitals. Investing in higher education is investing in our future. The NDP will hire 1,000 new teachers, teaching assistants, librarians and support staff to relieve pressure on schools districts looking to close rural schools. We will also provide $75 million this year (and ramp up to $100 million) and re-instate the student grants program.

Michael Beauclair, Conservative

What is your background? What experiences make you a good candidate?

I have worked with timber for over 24 years in the value-added forest industries and have scaled and graded our most precious natural resource for 18 years, on the Coast and in the Interior.

I believe that my experience with operating my proprietorship and developing relationships with people in small business, industry and government, has provided me with some excellent knowledge in engaging people and promoting understanding between myself and concerned citizens.

What can be done to bring jobs to the area and improve the economy?

Firstly, the completion of the ‘Merritt Area Transmission Project’, will continue to bring construction jobs and new electrical infrastructure will provide for opportunities for investment by light-to-heavy industries;, and to support jobs locally.

Secondly, a small-scale salvage program to revive, enhance and promote the Merritt and Lillooet timber supply areas. This would provide new opportunities for small-scale logging operations that are run on common sense and that do not need massive volumes of timber to support employment. That and the reduction of unnecessary laws and regulations under the Forest Act that impair the spirit of entrepreneurship from investment.

What are your policies to improve rural healthcare and education?

The BC Conservatives are committed to shutting down the Pacific Carbon Trust that has diverted nearly 20 million dollars from government services, such as education and health care. We are also committed to reducing and eliminating, wherever feasible, mandated bureaucratic processes unrelated to student learning, thus ensuring more funds for teachers. We will review healthcare authorities in the context of reducing the ‘top heavy’/overly-managed administration and use those savings to hire more doctors, nurses and lab technicians for the front lines of health care in rural areas of Fraser-Nicola -for us, it’s a matter of ‘spending smarter’.