New Democrat leader Adrian Dix sprinted to get his message out Monday, with a plan to campaign for 24 hours straight, making 15 election stops during his 1,700-kilometre tour as far north as Prince George.
He was set to continue his efforts to woo voters until 7 a.m. today, an hour before polls open.
Dix said that if the New Democrats win the election, the party would be inheriting a negative fiscal situation and a jobs plan that actually shed employment. He said the economy is a top priority and the New Democrats would work with business, labour and communities to invest in skills training.
鈥淎 platform that is pro-economic growth but takes care of our environment. We don鈥檛 believe that there鈥檚 a contradiction there,鈥� he said in the opening hours of his 24-hour marathon.
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鈥淚 think that people who vote on the economy in this election need to seriously consider voting for the B.C. NDP,鈥� he told reporters.
On a campaign swing through Courtenay, where he started the day, Dix said he always knew the election would be close.
鈥淚f people want change, they have to stick together and vote NDP. We want to聽govern and make things聽better for B.C. And that鈥檚 what this election is about.鈥�
At a Courtenay coffee shop, he explained how he decided to go flat-out for 24 hours straight on the last day of the campaign:
鈥淚t was E minus 29 [29 days out from the election]. I was in the lobby of the Ramada in Prince George, just preparing to go to Vanderhoof and our campaign manager, Brian Topp, and I discussed the tour; he gave me an outline. I said, 鈥業 think we should do 24 hours on the last day.鈥� I think, of course, at E聽minus 29 when you make such decisions, you don鈥檛 imagine this day will ever come.鈥�
Later, in Prince George, Dix highlighted his election tactics, saying he believes he has run a positive campaign that shows politics can be done differently.
鈥淲e鈥檝e said 鈥� that we鈥檙e going to appeal to the hopes, the aspirations, the dreams of British Columbians,鈥� he told about 100 supporters.
鈥淭he Liberals ran the most nasty, personal, attack campaign against me that I think has ever been run in B.C.,鈥� he said.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 the campaign they鈥檝e run. We鈥檝e stayed the course. And we鈥檙e going to continue to stay the course.鈥�
In Williams Lake, Dix was greeted by a small but enthusiastic crowd at the airport.
鈥淲hat time is it? It鈥檚 time for a change,鈥� the two dozen people chanted.
Former B.C. Rail supervisor Wayne Potter showed up to greet Dix, saying he鈥檚 been waiting for more than a decade to see the NDP toss the Liberals from office.
鈥淭he Liberals devastated everything, including myself,鈥� said Potter, adding he suffered a heart attack due partly to the stress of losing his railway job.
鈥淚鈥檝e been waiting for 10聽years for this.鈥�
At an airport rally in Kamloops, Dix pointed out the NDP lost the Kamloops North riding in 2009 by only 510 votes.
鈥淐an you imagine waking up the day after the election and hearing the words, 鈥楩our more years?鈥櫬犫�� Dix told a crowd of supporters.
鈥淭hat means we鈥檝e got to continue to work hard.鈥�
