VIDEO: Health minister and political opponent agree improvements in cancer care are 'not good enough'

With the BC election less than four months away, Health Minister Adrian Dix provided an update on what the NDP government is doing to improve cancer care in the province.

Dix went through 27 pages of speaking notes for his one-year update on the ten-year plan.

The podium was set up in front of the Kelowna Cancer Clinic, where Dix downplayed the politics of it.

"This is reporting out to people on what's happened," he said.

"We're not announcing something new today, we're reporting on what we're doing."

Dix reminded British Columbians that the government is building four cancer centres among many other benchmarks.

But he said there's more to be done.

"We've made progress in key areas and we've got to make more," he admitted.

"In areas where waits are too long, we have to do better."

On wait times, Dix was particularly humble.

"We need to do more to reduce wait times for urgent surgeries," he said flatly.

A political opponent in the crowd found those remarks irresistible.

"I absolutely agree with the minister," said Dr. Michael Humer, a former cancer surgeon and BC United candidate in Kelowna Centre.

"We can do better and we must do better with cancer care in this province."

After his initial remarks, Dix was also asked about the shift in BC politics over the last year and the growth of support for the BC Conservatives under leader John Rustad.

This time it was Dix who couldn't resist, going back to Rustad's time as an MLA in the former BC Liberal Government.

"In the case of Mr. Rustad's own community Fort St. James, they had a temporary modular hospital that was built in 1972, that need to be replaced since 1982, 16 years as MLA, nothing happened," said Dix.

"We're building a hospital in Fort St. James."

Health care is a hot topic in BC as the Oct. 19 election approaches.

So it's not surprising Dix has another announcement in Kelowna scheduled for tomorrow.

Watch today's full livestream here.