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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2008-10-09, Page 111. What are your views on Bill C- 51 restricting the use and sale of natural health products? As a senior citizen I don’t always have the money for the big pharmaceutical supplements. Also, is this not going to mean to loss of jobs, as thousands will lose them to big drug companies? Dave Joslin, CHP:The CHP is against both C-51 and its companion C-52. While we are grateful for the life-easing and lifesaving drugs developed by the big drug companies, they have no right to try to eliminate competition, especially under the guise of “protecting the public good.” Ben Lobb, Conservative:The majority of the natural health products are safe and of high quality. What Bill C-51 aims to do is target the few unsafe products. This bill will help to ensure tainted products are found and recalled. It will ensure that what is on the label is actually in the bottle and will help ensure that health claims on packaging are supported by appropriate levels of evidence. Canadians will continue to have access to natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality. They will not be regulated as pharmaceutical drugs; they will continue to be regulated under their own regulations- separate from drugs and foods. And this bill will not increase the costs of natural health products. Greg McClinchey, Liberal:Bill C-51 is a poorly-crafted and seriously misguided piece of legislation. When the Harper government first introduced Bill C- 51, it was clear that the move represented an outright assault on alternative therapies and that intention is even clearer today. I oppose Bill C-51 without reservation or hesitation. Tony McQuail, NDP:The NDP has been opposed to Bill C-51 since its introduction in Parliament. The Harper Conservatives, through Bill C-51 are attempting to revamp the Food and Drug Act to make it easier for big drug corporations to market their products. At the same time, Bill C-51 and the Conservatives are trying to place inappropriate regulation on lower-risk natural health products — also to the benefit of the Big Drug Companies. The NDP believes natural health products and alternative medicine make a valuable contribution to maintaining our health. In the public interest, their use should be encouraged, not discouraged to serve the interests of drug companies. Our aim is to integrate these products and services more fully into a national strategy for better health. This would improve jobs in the natural health area not sacrifice them. Glen Smith, Green:My feeling is that ‘big pharmaceuticals’ are driving this bill because they see a loss of profits. This is a bill that must be voted down. Almost every health food store in the country would be severely hit by such legislation. The Green does not support Bill C-51. I am personally a strong advocate of alternative medicine. Dennis Valenta, Independent: First let me say I’m not familiar with Bill C-51. The question implies that the pharmaceutical companies are trying to stop competition. I do not like that so I would stand for open and fair competition. May you enjoy using your natural health products as you see fit. 2. Manufacturing is the second largest employer in Huron County. Unfortunately, many people in our area will be losing jobs with closure of places like Campbell Soup. What do you see as a remedy to this situation? What can be done to avoid more of this in the future? CHP:Simply put, we are overtaxed and over-regulated in Canada. This, plus minimum wage laws and over-priced energy, all combine to drive manufacturing out of Canada. According to the Fraser Institute there is much less economic freedom in Canada than the U.S. While much of the problem in Ontario results with the provincial government’s tax and spend policies (which are beyond federal control) there are things that can be done. The CHP’s fair tax would eliminate all federal taxes replacing them with a single consumption tax. It would apply above the poverty line and only when you buy something. Besides relieving the tax burden on business, large and small, the FT will create opportunites for savings and investment, which businesses need to remain competitive. We can also scrap any federal minimum wage laws. Studies done in the U.S. by economists Thomas Sowell and George Gilder show these actually lock the unskilled and semi-skilled out of jobs. We can eliminate interprovincial trade barriers so goods can move freely within Canada. We also need to get serious about paying down our accumulated national debt. This would mean a $6,000/year tax reduction for most middle-class Canadians. Conservative:This is a three-- prong approach: • Retain — The Conservative government has committed $2.3 billion towards accelerated capital cost allowances for capital purchases to improve productivity. The Conservative government has committed $400 million to the access road to the Detroit-Windsor border crossing. • Attract — The Conservative government has committed to reducing corporate taxes and by 2012 Canada will have the lowest corporate tax rate among the G7 nations. • Retrain — The Conservative government has committed $3.5 billion in retraining initiatives so those who have lost their jobs can develop new skills to re-enter the workforce and hopefully into a higher-paying job. Liberal:On Sept. 29, Volvo announced that it would be closing its Goderich facility and laying off 500 people. These people have now been added to the more than 200,000 people who have lost their jobs in Ontario’s manufacturing sector in the past year alone. While Mr. Harper’s finance minister publically told international investors not to invest their money in Ontario’s industry, the Liberal Party called for strong action. The Liberal party has been crystal clear, Liberals understand that there is a role for government to attract and support investment in Canada. Mr. Dion has announced a $1 billion Advanced Manufacturing Prosperity Fund that a new Liberal government would deploy. The AMP Fund would attract investment to Canada’s manufacturing sector, would support existing jobs and create new jobs. Under the Liberal plan, Canada would become a leader in the manufacturing of greener technologies and products. The Liberal strategy would enhance research and development tax incentives to ensure more companies are encouraged to innovate in Canada. The federal government has it within its power to act and act it must. In Huron-Bruce, we have valuable corporate citizens such as Wescast which will unquestionably continue to feel the pinch caused by government inaction and the high loonie. We can’t sit back and refuse to help. NDP:As a farmer I’ve had crop failure. I know what it’s like to sit at the kitchen table wondering how you are going to make the mortgage payments. Having your factory close is the same. Your future security is gone overnight, wiped out by someone with a huge salary far away. I’ve worked all my life to build the new economy, but for families and communities facing job losses it’s all about the ‘now’ economy. It’s about sitting down at the kitchen table together right now and figuring out how to get through this We need to stop giving away billions in tax breaks to corporations with no guarantees that they won’t take the equipment and jobs and leave town. We need Jack Layton as a prime minister who will be working for the families around the kitchen tables not just the men around the boardroom tables. We would: 1) appoint a job protection commissioner to investigate major layoffs and shutdowns. The commissioner will work with workers, the affected businesses, stakeholders (such as banks), and communities to maintain and develop good employment for Canadians. 2) create a green collar jobs fund of $750 million a year totrain new workers and re-traindisplaced workers. This will providethe skills to install and maintainenergy efficient and renewableenergy technology. It will support thetransition from jobs in older, higher- pollution energy systems. 3) As part of our job protection strategy, New Democrats will stand up against our jobs being exported out of Canada by implementing job-focused trade strategies. We will make it harder to import from countries with unacceptable environmental, employment and wage standards. Green:The Green Party proposes encouraging green manufacturing. Many of the parts used to make wind turbines are made overseas. We could be manufacturing them here. At the same time we have to encourage all forms of manufacturing in the area. The key is to entice companies to set up shop in our riding. Federal grants that help with start-up costs for a corporation would be one method. Independent:I believe in the fair market system. I don’t like the way we currently run our welfare (re: generational) system, and that is especially true for corporations. However, I do believe all levels of government should eliminate the red tape that hinders the ability of business to operate. After all they are the ones creating the jobs, which produce the tax base for the different levels of government. 3. Do you have a solution to the outmigration of youth? CHP:Unless we can produce an environment which favours the creation of full-time manufacturing jobs, the outmigration will continue. It’s terribly important that Ontarians begin to demand their government stop spending money on failed and failing policies and pay of its $165 billion debt, eliminate provincial corporate taxes, unnecessary business regulation, provincial minimum wage laws and de-regulate the power generation industry. C:To maintain our youth in Huron-Bruce we need to continuously create high quality, high paying jobs that would includeattracting and retaining companies.L:If our young people can findmeaningful and gainful employmentopportunities locally, they willremain in our rural areas. As oneexample, I believe that the emerging green energy sector has tremendous potential on this front. It is for that reason that the Liberal Party has directed a considerable amount of resources towards agriculture; something that is intended to also help the next generation of farmers. The Liberal platform commits $564 million in direct investment dollars, $30 million to support local market development, $400 million for emission reduction credits for farmers, $250 million to help farmers secure new technology and $50 million to help improve food safety. If farming is profitable then our youth will want to take up the business and I believe that this is a positive move in that direction. NDP:Huron-Bruce has agriculture, energy, tourism and manufacturing. It’s a wonderful place to live. As a youth I returned to Huron-Bruce after looking across Canada. The Lake Huron Learning Collaborative and other programs that could make educational opportunties more convenient for youth to stay in our communities help. As well, our proposals for investing in renewable energy technologies and sustainable agriculture will increase job opportunities in rural Canada, including Huron-Bruce. Our support for arts and culture will support job opportunities in the tourism and recreation industries. G:My feelings are that if we can help pay for their education we could have them return home under some form of contractual obligation. This may work for doctors especially. If we have federal programs in place we could draw on them. The Green Party regards education as an investment rather than a cost and therefore, we will forgive 50 per cent of each student’s loan after their graduation from college or THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2008. PAGE 11. Local candidates respond to readers’ submissions The Citizen invited our readers to submit questions for the Huron-Bruce federal candidates. Following are their responses. DAVE JOSLIN Christian Heritage Party BEN LOBB Conservative Party GREG MCCLINCHEY Liberal Party Continued on page 12 Wedding Announcement CHAMNEY - BROWN Eldon Chamney and Elaine Brown were married Saturday, August 2, 2008 in the Blyth United Church by Rev. Jeff Hawkins. The bride’s attendants were Sharon Brown, sister of the bride and Amy Reinhardt, friend of the bride. The groom’s attendants were his children, Justin and Meagan, and granddaughter Jadyn. Reader was Nancy Boucher, friend of the bride and special music was provided by organist Margaret Kai and the Blyth United Church. Choir.