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Liberals' Chambers gives shaky performance at Port Coquitlam debate

Susan Chambers went head to head against incumbent Mike Farnworth and Jason Hanley.

If there was a single moment at last night's all-candidates' meeting in the riding of Port Coquitlam that summed up a rough performance by the BC Liberals' Susan Chambers, it was this:

Near the end of the debate, Chambers apologized after being told by the audience she was reading the wrong answer about child care from her binder of policy notes. 

It was her first time at an all-candidates' meeting, she told them, adding, "I'm here as a volunteer. I'm doing my best."

A woman in the front row applauded and Chambers thanked her for the encouragement.

That was one of the few positive moments for the rookie candidate running in a riding that has repeatedly voted for the NDP incumbent, Mike Farnworth.

But that didn't stop Chambers — after two hours of flipping through her binder to find answers to policy questions, several of which she flubbed, and making quips while mumbling into a microphone — from delivering a stinging 90-second closing statement that attacked Farnworth, who, for most of the debate, drew loud applause from the crowd of about 75 people at the PoCo Inn & Suites.

Chamber said she had volunteered on the 2001 campaign that saw Farnworth defeated — a first in his lengthy provincial career. In the following four years under BC Liberal MLA Karn Manhas, she said, the community saw capital investments from the government, something that hasn't kept pace since with an opposition MLA representing the riding.

Port Coquitlam needs an MLA that can work will all levels of government to "bring real opportunities and real progress" to the riding, she said. "Mike Farnworth has proven he cannot do this. Let me prove to you that I can."

Her statement struck a nerve with Farnworth, who shrugged, motioned toward Chambers and launched his own verbal assault. 

Farnworth criticized Chambers for entering the race late and for being a parachute candidate. Turning to her, Farnworth said: "I do know this community. I live in this community. You live in Maple Ridge. You haven't said that. I think that's really unfortunate.

"Port Coquitlam wants an MLA who doesn't just think of it as an afterthought as they're driving through it to go home to bed in Maple Ridge," he added.

Throughout the Tri-Cities' Chamber of Commerce event, Chambers took hits from Farnworth and BC Green candidate Jason Hanley, who appeared at times to riff off each other's comments.

And at times, Chambers' answers infuriated the crowd. On the topic of minimum wage, she was jeered when claiming the average hourly salary in B.C. is $25.

"You can use Twitter to vent your anger," the meeting moderator, Justin Levine, a lawyer with Golbey Law, told the audience.

Over the course of the debate, candidates also fielded questions on housing affordability, mental health services, transit infrastructure, school funding, the elimination of the medical services plan premium, fossil fuels and Eagle Ridge Hospital.

Asked what one major reform they would proposed to government, if elected, Hanley said he would seek a proportional representation voting system; Chambers said she wants MSP premiums eliminated; and Farnworth said he would ban big donations to political parties.

• The Port Coquitlam candidates next meet on April 29 for the Civic Association of Iranian Canadians debate from 2 to 4 p.m. at Coquitlam Public Library's City Centre branch.

jcleugh@tricitynews.com