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.