Tone deaf? BC Liberal leader tweets about 'brokenhearted' cabin owners

Mar 5 2019, 1:11 am

After coming under fire and being called “out of touch” last week for referring to renting as “a wacky time “ and a “fun part of growing up,” BC Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson appeared to fan those flames with a tweet that took aim at BC’s new speculation tax.

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“John Horgan and the NDP are ignoring brokenhearted families who have had cabins for decades,” he wrote. “Their unfair #speculationtax means these families may lose those special homes.

The tweet features a video clip of the community of Belcarra’s mayor who talks about how people in his community, many with homes which are water-access only, are “terrified” they will lose cabins that have been in their family for generations, thanks to the new tax.

The tweet itself might have been shrugged off, had it not come the day after Wilkinson had made remarks in Victoria, regarding his take on the rental situation in the province.

“I was a renter for 15 years. I lived in a dozen different rentals,” he said. “It was challenging at times, but it was fun.”

He added that being a renter is a “rite of passage” and “part of growing up and getting better.”

“We’ve all done it,” he added. “It’s kind of a wacky time of life, but it can be really enjoyable.”

Wilkinson’s comments also come the same week that Vancouver deemed $2,056 as “affordable rent” for a one-bedroom unit.

As such, Wilkinson’s tweet about “brokenhearted” cabin owners the day after these remarks was not received well.

DH Vancouver StaffDH Vancouver Staff

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