Article content continued

The same poll suggests the Greens have a chance at picking up a second seat in Saanich North and the Islands, a riding the NDP gained in 2013 in a near three-way split with the two other major parties.

In his speech, Horgan said he felt Green voters would agree with him that health care, education and voting systems needed to be fixed. He said the NDP agreed with Green supporters on blocking the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline expansion and taking action to reduce climate pollution.

“My appeal to you is let’s make B.C. better, let’s not allow Christy Clark and the most corporately-funded party we have ever seen in my lifetime get another chance to erode the services that we care about and the people that desperately need our help,” Horgan said.

Horgan then said he was appealing to “disaffected Liberals” and undecided voters and those contemplating voting Green, adding that he believes those voters had common interests with the NDP.

“I’m going to call out the statement,” Weaver said while outside Horgan’s Nanaimo rally. “Really, what matters is that British Columbians vote, that’s what matters.”

He made an appeal for eligible British Columbians to go to the polls, after low turnout in 2013 (about 55.3 per cent, according to Elections B.C.)

Weaver then referred to Horgan’s plea for Green votes as “a form of voter suppression.”

“He’s entitled to say whatever,” he said. “We’re not worried about that. We are trying to inspire people in British Columbia for a change that they can count on, offering them a fresh vision — not one that’s based in fear but one that’s based in hope.”

Weaver criticized Horgan and B.C. Liberals Leader Christy Clark for using negative advertisements in their campaigns, saying that the Greens were “above that,” and went on to characterize “whisper campaigns” emanating from their campaign war rooms as bullying.

“The B.C. NDP has had 16 years to provide an inspirational vision for people to get behind, they failed each and every time, are failing again and have resorted to the same negative tactics that they continue to resort to,” Weaver said.

neagland@postmedia.com

twitter.com/nickeagland