Federal election candidates in the riding of Chatham-Kent-Leamington differed over the best way to stimulate the economy this morning at a forum hosted by the Chatham-Kent Association of Realtors.
While incumbent Dave Van Kesteren pointed to rising employment numbers as proof the governments plan of simply keeping a lid on taxes is for the best, and says recent job creation in Chatham-Kent is proof it is working.
The Green Party's Mark Vercouteren called for targeted stimulus. He says filling up vacant buildings with new business and increasing eco-tourism would definitely increase the number of jobs.
The Liberal's Katie Omstead says running targeted deficits would allow the rebuilding of infrastructure and the creation of 40,000 jobs for new graduates. She says with low interest rates now is the ideal time to do it.
The NDP's Tony Walsh says Universal Child care would free up money parents are currently spending on day care and that would boost the economy. As well he says incentives to attract manufacturing and food processing companies would all the country to "process here and assemble here as opposed to ripping and shipping our natural resources."
All four agree on one issue raised by the association hosting the event, that the limit on the amount of money first time home buyers can withdraw from an RRSP should be raised from the current level.
