Cariboo-Chilcotin Liberal incumbent Donna Barnett said she and Coralee Oakes’ re-election were part of a Liberal corridor that extends from the U.S. border at Osoyoos straight up to Fort Nelson.
“That line is where people work in the resource industries. Where people ranch and do agriculture and that is where the resources come to the province,” Barnett said. “When you look at the urban centres they have more tech industries and all the corporate offices that they wouldn’t have if we didn’t have the resource industries.”
Barnett said she’s been trying to get the message out there that the province’s economy is kept afloat because of the resource industries.
“We have to get rid of this divide between people that don’t understand that. There are people who have never gone beyond Hope to come and see what industry really does and how we protect the environment. That’s a message that’s not out there.”
While she is confident the Liberals will gain more seats once the estimated 179,000 absentee votes are counted, Barnett said even if the Liberals form a minority government there is no reason people cannot work together.
“As long as I am looking at the big picture and not what is good for me, that’s what it’s all about. That’s healthy. Sometimes people don’t like a certain decision, but they always have to look at the bigger picture.”
A minority government would be an important part of B.C.’s history, Barnett added.
When asked if this will be her last term, Barnett said only time will tell. “I will never say never,” she said.
“I’m 74 and I feel great. When you can get out and knock on doors walking six miles for many days like I did in the campaign that says something.”
After Cariboo North Liberal incumbent Coralee Oakes was declared the winner following what was predicted to be a tight race, she said it was a “tremendous” relief.
“I can tell you that all the candidates in this riding worked so incredibly hard,” Oakes told the Tribune on election night.
“I have never run in a campaign like this where everyone worked so diligently. The volunteers for all the campaigns were tremendous.”
Once the government resumes, Oakes said her priorities will be to focus on “significant” projects that are already underway.
“We are still working on a couple of road connections for example the Purden that would connect Wells and Barkerville through to the ancient forest so that’s important to the region for tourism,” Oakes said. “It would tie in for a tourism route to Likely and for the whole Cariboo as well.”
Three-phase power is a priority for mining opportunities and finding ways to better support agriculture, she added.
“I am so incredibly proud of TRU and the applied sustainable ranching program,” she said. “These are the types of programs we need to help our community to diversify.”
Small communities are so dependent on a small business economy that it’s important to make sure people are working, she said.
As of Thursday, May 11, BC Elections noted Barnett held 58.99 per cent or 8,028 votes while Oakes was holding 51.40 per cent or 5,969 votes.