President Trump declares Canada is "one of the worst countries in the entire world."

After careful consideration I have made the difficult decision to no longer pursue my candidacy in Penticton-Summerland with the BC NDP. This was not an easy decision. When I got into politics, I did so because I wanted to help my community. Every decision I have made along the way has been with my constituents’ best interests first, no matter the consequences for me. This includes crossing the floor from an independent, to the BC NDP. Crossing the floor was incredibly difficult and carried considerable consequences for me personally, professionally, and politically. I have been threatened, spat at, disowned, and abused in ways both public and private. My primary reason for crossing the floor was to join a credible and stable party in light of the fact that the party I was elected with was not those things. Because the NDP was the most reasonable major party in the House, I knew this would afford my riding better representation than remaining independent. In addition, I wanted to prevent an unnecessary election/ the government falling, which I saw as a bad outcome in the current economic and political climate. In the wake of the tragic death of Amshen Joan Phillip, my presence in the NDP was the only thing keeping the government from falling. When I crossed the floor, I did not receive a larger salary, position, nor any promises or discussions of such things. The only discussions that were had were about my fit with the party and my ability to better represent my community from the government side. I am dedicated to my constituents, not any political party. I am confident that I did the right thing for the right reasons when I made that decision. Not only that, but I was able to marshal better resources for my community during the Bald Range wildfire because I was able to access the deep bench of seasoned staff available to me through the BC NDP. I thank them for their hard work during a difficult time. Seeing the way everyday people became heroes during the Bald Range wildfire has inspired me and solidified my conviction that people are basically good, and times of great difficulty can bring out the best in us. The first responders, firefighters, BC Wildfire, RCMP, healthcare workers, RDOS and city staff, local volunteers and everyone else who helped, are heroes. I am humbled by their courage and grateful for their service. Politics is hard and it’s not always fair. I’m proud of the job that I have done over the last two years, and I would have liked to continue. But it’s not about me and my individual wants and desires. It’s about ensuring this community and this province are protected from the kind of right-wing, Trump style populism and grave dysfunction on full display on the other side. Because I crossed the floor so recently, I am unable to marshal the kind of campaign necessary to give the NDP a fair shot in this snap election. I am stepping aside not because I want to quit, but to make way for a more winnable candidate in these circumstances. Serving the last two years as your MLA has been the honour and privilege of my life. I am grateful to all those who supported me in the last three campaigns I have done, and grateful to the community for placing your trust in me. My path in politics is not over. I will continue to fight for my community, my province, and my country in another capacity. My full confidence continues to rest with Premier Eby and his caucus. While the economic policies need work, this is being done and can be done. It’s fixable. The problems with the B.C. Conservatives are not fixable, maybe not ever and certainly not on the timeline British Columbia needs. David, thank you for the opportunity you gave me. I’ll be fighting for the team from the other side. Everyone, please vote BC NDP. Many thanks, Amelia 🧡 @dave_eby @bcpoli

Today in Burnaby I committed to turning more empty condos into homes people can afford. Our housing plan is working. Home prices are falling faster in B.C. than anywhere else in Canada, rents have dropped 26 months in a row, and the speculation and vacancy tax has turned 20,000 empty units into homes. But too many finished condos are still sitting empty or unsold. So we'll raise the speculation and vacancy tax by one point and bring in a new Unsold Condo Tax on finished condos left empty for more than a year, climbing every year they sit. That could unlock up to 5,000 homes for British Columbians. The conservative parties have opposed nearly every measure we've taken on housing. They'd rip up the plan and hand the market back to the speculators. With Trump's trade war driving up costs, we have to keep pushing yours down. That's how we build B.C. strong. 🇨🇦