Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2019-10-17, Page 33Continued from page 32 platform and talk about what they could do for the people of Huron- Bruce. I was born and raised on a family farm and also worked as a reporter and a teacher. I’ve been trained to listen to people and tell their stories – skills that I would put to use as an MP, to get out into the community to find out what the major concerns are and make sure those concerns are heard in Ottawa. I’ve tried to visit every small town and village in the riding as well as the major centres, to listen to you. I hear that too many decisions are made in the city. I’ve made it my mission within the Liberal party to push for more attention to rural issues. I want to be a voice for rural Canada within a Liberal govern- ment. It’s been a long time since Huron-Bruce has been heard above the louder urban voices. That needs to change. I can deliver that change. TM: Huron-Bruce is a huge riding and the issues are interconnected. Many people are concerned with climate change – and a changing climate will be costly for us all – but that is an overarching issue which we need to keep in mind as we address other issues. We have a labour shortage coupled with rural poverty and lack of housing and transportation for those who are the working poor. The lack of high speed digital services in many areas is also a challenge for farmers, businesses and e- commuters. We propose addressing housing issues by building 500,000 units of affordable housing, addressing speculation and money laundering in the housing market and retrofitting housing to be more energy efficient and less costly to heat. In the New Deal for People we propose immediate action to close the digital divide between rural and urban Canada. Our plans for head-to-toe health coverage, which includes dental care and pharmacare, will help everyone including farm families and small business owners directly and with their costs of employee benefits. In terms of bringing the concerns of Huron-Bruce to Ottawa, I would work with the climate bank and various ministries to seek out grants and pilot projects that would let us address specific concerns that are brought to my attention by the people of Huron-Bruce. We are a creative and resourceful community and I believe we are best positioned to design solutions appropriate to our community and ecosystem. NW: During this election period, what is noticeable is the growing concern about climate crisis. It stems far beyond Huron-Bruce, but groups such as Green Goderich, C4th Climate Action, Blue Bayfield and Eco Exeter popping up suggest that residents are concerned about the environment and climate change. The Green Party will, in a minority government, work with other parties which agree to take climate change seriously. We will advocate for the ambitious changes that are needed in order to avert a climate catastrophe and enable our children and their children to continue to live here. KK: A living wage, like a minimum wage, does very little to help those receiving it. The problem is that when you raise wages there are many short-term consequences that are generally ignored by those advocating for higher wages. It is common sense that money on your paycheque under the current Liberal and previous Conservative government only means that you will pay out more in taxes. Therefore, the increased money you earn goes into the coffers of government more than it does your household. The increase in minimum wage is immediately absorbed by an increase in local costs (for example rent) as everyone wants to get a piece of the bigger pie. When minimum wage increases, small business employers are usually forced to reduce hours and staff in order to compensate for the increase, especially when it is several dollars per hour at a time. Yes, you can advocate for smaller minimum wage increases which will make the impact smaller but it will not be enough to catch up to the increasing costs in our region. We believe that by reducing the burden of taxes, both to individuals and to companies everyone prospers. We want to leave more of the money earned by individuals in their own pockets to spend as they see fit. We want to get rid of the six-tier personal taxation system we have in place now and reduce federal taxes paid by those workers earning less than $15,000 to zero, those workers making $15,000-$100,000 would pay only 15 per cent, and over $100,000 just 25 per cent. • International relations have degraded between many countries since Donald Trump was elected and the Brexit vote, what would be your plan to ensure Canada continued to work well with its international partners? BL: The most important thing we need to do to ensure Canada continues to work well with its international partners is to ensure that we understand who our partners actually are. Canada must always side with other powers which value freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law. But at the end of the day, strength and resolve are universally respected by allies and enemies alike. That involves deepening our partnerships with allied powers through alliances like NORAD, NATO, and the Commonwealth – as well as making effective overtures to countries like India and Japan. A Conservative government will look for ways to strengthen our relationships with other powers and open new markets, but we have a responsibility to show resolve as well. That means unapologetically standing up for what’s right and standing up for Canadian interests. We will end the $256 million investment in the Chinese-controlled Asian Infrastructure Bank. We will block Chinese state-owned businesses from unfettered access to the Canadian market. We will take steps to ensure that Ukraine has the support it needs to defend their borders. We will list Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization, and make full use of our Magnitsky law to punish Iran’s worst human rights offenders. We will recognize that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. AT: Trade is essential to Canada’s economic success. It gives Canadian businesses access to new markets and new customers and creates good, middle class jobs that pay better wages. Livelihoods of millions of workers depend on the good trade deals we have negotiated with our trading partners. Canada is the only G7 with free trade agreements with all others. We have trade deals to access 1.5 billion customers around the world. However, there is still more to do to make sure people benefit from THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2019. PAGE 33. Tony McQuail Huron-Bruce NDP candidate Kevin Klerks Huron-Bruce PPC candidate McQuail eyes ‘digital divide’ with NDP platform * Flexible GIC savings at up to *%2.5% ashable GICCrYe-Y1-Year ed.nion Limitedit U Meridian Crfs oademarkr™T*onditions applyerms and cTeT oday!erm savings goals tt-shortryour ackt trasand frAo an talkTaT dvisor ashable GIC. Cr Ye-Y’Meridian s 1-Year with o 2.5% earn up tr 90 days, or t jusert aftesertwith inash out C ashable GICCr Ye-Y1-Y ashableearCYec..MeridianCUwww a/1Y -0210. S. | 519-527t49 Main S THORSEAF ear MERIDIAN Continued on page 34