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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2000-11-22, Page 7Federal election Agriculture hottest Huron issue: Steckle Sy MIN !Mont Lakeshore Advance Editor .incumbent Member of Parliament Paul Steckle is drawing on seven years of .political experience to keep .his seat in the Huron -Bruce riding. Agriculture is the hottest issue in these rural ridings. The Liberal Party member who resides in the ,Zurich area is feeling the anger of farmers who want a fair price , for their products on the world market and an emergency aid package of $9(X) million. "ft's the issue -of the campaign for me," he said. "I'm desperatefor the (Prime Minister) . to • anrrounce (emergency aid) hefore the election hut I assure you I . will continue to work and fm confident we'll have the money. Crider sustained pressure from that sector; Steckle • hoarded a bus with farmers two weeks ago as they took their.proteststo Parliament Hill in Ottawa. • "I've never hada group that • really came down on me," he said. 'Steckle said he and politicians in all - levels of government have lobbied the Prime Minister, the Minister of Agriculture and the Finance Minister with telephone calls and petitions. • "Even yesterday I talked to. the Minister of Agriculture. I believe that the money will be coming," said Steckle. Steckle, a father and grandfather. has strong family values. a fact reinforced by media attention received in May 1999 when he and five other backbenchers voted against the party on a pension bill that granted same sex benefits. Steckle also speaks for his constituents in his opposition to:Bill C68. which requires everyone to register their firearms. He says registration is not perfect. one mistake in copying the.. gun number to; the form means uncertainty in identification if the gun is used illegally.. Registration won't prevent people from being killed or injured by firearms but mandatory safe storage and education will, says - Steckle. "We could have been spending the money more wisely on tightening the borders," he said, referring to stopping gun smuggling. On the plus side 'of registration. the MP says it does help police recognize danger. "If the police know therer are guns in the house. that's a good measure of safety." said Steckle in -a :one-on-one interview for the Federal Election on Nov. 27. . Steckle. cries the same lament as citizens in his community on the. early timing of the election. For the past month. local electors have been struggling to get to know • their municipal councillor candidates while keepinga watchful• eye on the federal race. For the federal candidates, some. including Steckle, decided not to erect their campaign signs'on roadsides until after the municipal election that ended Nov. 13. "We're having to address the question of an early election.and we shouldn't have to." he. said. "(Constituents) know. who i am and the positions I've. held. These_are not forgotten. That's part of heing i successful representative." A former Huron County warden. Steckle would rather wait a full four years before another election hut always the.optimist. he looks on.the bright side. Re said the election creates jobs "Lor such sectors -as media and polling station staff. ' Turning to the name calling by the national leaders of the three major parties. Steckle believes it's not hurting the local campaign. But it'is affecting it. • Steckle said more people are defeated because of their political party. a• force beyond the local candidate'. Sous HURON, Page 8 Christian values dominate Heritage platform By Tim Cumming C-clerich Signal' -Star Editor . Daae Joslin-s policy difection. doesn'tc time from a 'red book' or 'blue book' prepared by party strategists. .He says his policy comes ' from the Bible. 'Christian, values should be uppermost." he said. Joslin. a •federal candidate • in the riding of Huron - Bruce.. represents the positions of the Christian Heritage. Party. 'We believe in the concept at absolute truth;' he said. "if . you don`t have an absolute right or: wrong. how do you say •what's. fair. or .what's not?' .. . The party's status as an official registered political _ party was. suspended on • Thursday. Nov. 9 by' Elections Canada. because ' the party was only running 46 candidates nationally. not the 50 candidate minimum • .. requirement: iThe party can • re -register hut•niit befotpe this election Joslin says this was a technicality which the party islighting; and :does.nt affect the party •platform, The. Christian Heritage Party, name. however. will not appear with Joslin's on the. ballot. . None of 'this affects • Joslin's intent. which 19 10'. tight tor a seat based on his• Christian. beliefs. 1 he Grey--Ti,wnship man. who Iis.e• in.Huron County. between Walton and Cranbrook..is a dyer at a Listowel 'factory that produ' ce s arn. Joslin sass he would prefer sitting • at home reading a book to. .:impaigning but he said getting hi. message out is his " Christian duty." -The candidates says he agree% church and state .should. • operate independently of each other but gosernments and 'C'hristianity shouldn't he mutually antagonistic. ' • "Thc�'rc supposed to compliment each other." •he said. in pan interview in Goden.h last week. He sass w hat now exists is an "actual hostility of the state toward the church:" People, who are nor Christian would be well -protected if . the Canadian' governmen:t operated. . by Christian teaching. said Joslyn. He points to. the religious,tplerance in the United States. Political representatives should not be required to vote the wishes of their [constituents if those wishes go.. against _.btplical teaching, according to Joslin. He says, the Holocaust -was morally wrong. yet The majority in Germany elected Hitler. It was a violent majority during the French Revolution which allowed the Reign of Terror to take p 1 a —c -- How --c How do we condemn Hitler or Stalin''. Joslin asks. if we don't have a universal standard of right and wrong? There are •high'er standards of ethics than human opinion." , • Joslin' says he believes , abortion is wrong in all Cases, and a' Christian- ' Heritage Member of Parliament would vote'' against it. no matter what the wishes of the constituents. . His party is also against euthanasia. He says. -euthanasia was' practiced in the (ire -Hitler Weimar Republic 'and set the stage 'for the later Holocaust. It has also led to murder ,in states where it has been •practiced.he said. .• Joslin said he. favours_ representation for parties proportionate with the votes they receive nationally. A party that gets five per cent of the vote'should have five per cent of the House of Commons seats. he said. "The Green Party's concerns (and the -concerns of other parties) ought to be heard in -the political process." he said. The Christian Heritage . Party is opposed to the C-68 • gun registration law. according to the candidate. He said there is'biblical justification for people to bear arms. He also said a well -armed populace is actually a deterrent to crime and he said the party is considering the approval . of concealed weapon permits, Joslin said people are not electing a local representative. They are voting fora national party. he said., The Christian Heritage party believes in capital punishment in certain cases where. said Joslin. guilt is not in question Christianity' praises care for the poor. said Joslin;' but the state has generally done a poor job of,it. "Wethink the care of the poor is the responsibility .of the family. rather than the _state" The party isnot opposed to private 'clinics, said Joslin. Private: clinics. and extended private coverage. could actually take pressure off the public system: he said. • "They already e;<ist, he said. The party supports. the introduction of small user fees. "What's perceived to he free is not highly valued." he. said.. Government has created •problems when it has gone. `away, from biblical teachings., according to Joslin.: He says .'easy divorce laws' actually harmed women by making it easier for men to "walk away.from thteircovenant responsibilities." ' The CHP candidate says his party is in favour of a `Family -friendly tax credit' which would make it easier for either the mother or father to stay at home. His party opposes the use of genetically -modified seed in agriculture: "We want verifiable. third -party research done on this stuff." he said. The party- is against farm subsidies but believes that they first have to'be reduced across-the-board in all countries.. Canada can't act unilaterally to reduce them, • he said.. Dave Joslin. 46. and hi; wife, Kathy. have .four children: David, Becky Michael and Sarah. TWO MOON EXPOSITOR, Mov.ww.r 22, 20100-7 How to Avoid 9 Common Buyer Traps BEFORE Buyinga home Seafotth, Ont. - Buying a home is a major investment no matter which way you look at it. But for many homebuyers, it's an evert more expensive process than it needs to be because many fall prey to at least a few of many common 'and costly mistakes which trap them into either paying too much for the home they want, or losing their dream home to -another buyer or, worse, buying the wmng home for their needs. A systemized appmach to the home -buying process can help you steer clear of these common traps, allowing you to not only cut opals, but also buy the home that's best for you. An industry report has just been released entitled "Nine Buyers Traps and How to. Avoid Them.' This 'important report discusses the9 most common and costly of these home -buyer traps, how to identify them., and whatyou can do to avoid them. To hear a brief recorded. meslage about how to get your FREE copy of this report, call 1- 877-4E7-2754 and enter II (/1017. You can call anytime, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call IOW to team how you can sell your home yourself. . ¶iank9'ou Thank you to the ratepayers of the Tuckersmith Ward who supported me in the recent election. I will strive to represent your best interests in the newly amalgamated Huron -East. Larry McGrath Councillor On November 27t" Vote for Mark Beaven Your Canadian Alliance Choice for Huron Bruce If you are in need of a ride to the polls, contact our Campaign - Headquarters for assistance. www.markbeaven.net 1-877-344-5544 519 -887 -VOTE (8683) 9 Albert Street, Clinton, Ontario, NOM 1L0 ,ocaPt• ALLIANCANACE CANADIENNE 4 WILLIAM J. 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