The three candidates for the Burnaby-Edmonds riding showed up for an all-candidates meeting held at Byrne Creek Secondary School, where they answered unfiltered students' questions directly.
Byrne Creek's social studies teacher Greg Neumann organized the meeting on April 25 to give his students the chance to get to know one of their possible representatives in the future.
Green candidate Wyatt Tessari, Liberal candidate Jeff Kuah and NDP candidate Raj Chouhan were all present to introduce themselves and listen to what issues the more than 100 students raised.
A balanced budget, education and transit funding were among the questions asked.
Tessari was the first to introduce himself to the crowd sitting on the bleachers in the gym, and said that the economy is draining its resources faster than it's being replenished, and that lifestyle changes need to be made to make up for the consuming lifestyle of the 20th century.
He said he would make it his priority to save what's at stake.
"Let's build a better world. Vote green," Tessari said.
Chouhan told the crowd they know the issues best that need to be addressed, and that his goal has always been "to see young people get involved in the political process."
Chouhan criticized the Liberal budget, which he says has cut funding for skills training - which is important for students who do not go to university.
"If we win on May 14, that would be our number one priority; that each student who gets out of high school, if they want to get that training, we must provide that opportunity for them, and we will," he said. "For the next five years we're going to be facing 160,000 jobs, which are going to be requiring a high level of skill training."
Kuah explained that when he first came to Canada in 1997, it took him five years to find a home and he struggled for a long time. He said he doesn't identify as a politician, but as a counsellor and an advisor, which is his professional background.
"The thing for you to bring home today after hearing me speaking is what choice you want to make in terms of your education career. ... Stay engaged," he said.
The first question asked was how each party would increase funding for public transit.
Tessari said he would raise property taxes and otherwise raise revenue from the sources that are polluting the environment.
Chouhan said increasing the taxes on big operations and banks to fund transit's growing needs is another priority of his party.
Stepping away from what his party has said, Kuah shared his personal idea of utilizing ICBC insurance to serve as transit passes. He noted his party's platform promises to have a public referendum on Nov. 14 on TransLink funding.
The next statement was made by a teacher, who pointed out the reason Kuah had such a hard time finding a home was a direct result of his party's guidance. He asked what each party's platform is doing specifically to address those issues for lower class sizes and to get specialist teachers back in the classroom.
In terms of homelessness, Kuah said it's an issue that needs to be fixed, and in Burnaby the secondary suite problem also needs to be addressed. He noted the Burnaby Citizens' Association (all of Burnaby's municipal councillors and its mayor belong to this party) currently tried to address it in conjunction with the provincial election.
"We have a BCA mayor who is very much in the way in terms of not giving you those kinds of housing stock," Kuah said.
As far as education goes, he noted that in 2001, his department at a school was cut and that as a candidate he is open to suggestions on how to shape his party's 10-year plan for education. He also noted the NDP had voted against the Liberal's last education budget.
Chouhan said his party voted against that budget because there was "nothing in that budget for (public) education in British Columbia."
"Since 2001, the Liberal government has cut counsellors by 10 per cent, they have closed almost 200 schools in (B.C.), special education teachers they cut by 18 per cent and ESL teachers by 32 per cent," he said.
Chouhan said public education is top priority, and the NDP intends to hire 1,000 more teachers in order to address the class-size issue, and spend $100 million to improve education.
"And to talk about social housing ... it's easy to blame the municipal government, but the reality is for the last 12 years we have stopped building social housing and subsidized housing; that's the problem," he said.
Tessari said it's an important issue and that he could toss a bunch of numbers at the crowd, but if students are really interested in his party's plan they can read it in full online.
When asked on how they'd balance the budget, Tessari said the Greens would do it with mutual accounting, through making "tough choices" and expanding the carbon tax.
"It will mean sacrifices," he said.
Chouhan took the opportunity to note the Liberal's proposed budget is not balanced because it relies on selling $800 million worth of assets - which he said is an actual deficit.
He said his government would make a balanced budget a priority.
Kuah retaliated by saying NDP party leader Adrian Dix would spend $3 billion that the province doesn't have. He said his party is going to first make sure the economy is strong.
Other questions included legalizing marijuana, helping the elderly and supporting those with disabilities.
After the debate, the candidates spoke with students and answered more of their questions.
