With a retirement and long term care home in Hensall as a backdrop, federal candidates for Huron-Bruce pitched their respective party's plans for the upcoming election.
At the all candidates debate, a number of issues were touched on including transparency and the environment.
But support for seniors took centre stage.
Conservative candidate Ben Lobb says the government has made sound decisions.
"One in five of the expenditures go into Old Age Security and the Guaranteed Income Supplement. By balancing the budget, by being able to keep taxes low, we've been able to make sure those dollars are available to seniors," says Lobb. "When we compare senior standard of living on average, it is one of the best in the world. We're proud of that record. Because of strong leadership, keeping strong balance sheets, balancing our budget, it has allowed us to make those investments."
But Liberal candidate Allan Thompson says low income seniors need more support.
"The Liberal Party is talking about increasing the Guaranteed Income Supplement for those people by 10 per cent, which is quite significant. That would be $920 for someone in that situation. So I think we can do much more for seniors. The CPP benefit is simply not good enough," says Thompson.
And he says there needs to be more options when it comes to housing.
"A lot of our rural communities, they don't have those options," says Thompson. "They don't have smaller, affordable units that they can downsize into particularly in their home communities so we can keep our communities vibrant."
Huron-Bruce NDP candidate Gerard Creces says the retirement age needs to be to 65 because seniors have earned that right.
"Most of them started working in their early teens. They've been paying into Canada, they've been working for Canada their whole lives. And we're talking about 50 years of employment of paying into the pension of contributing of not only the nation but the local economy. To say you're sorry, you're too expensive and you have to wait two more years, that just doesn't cut it," says Creces. "If seniors can retire in comfort rather than be 'nickel and dimed' for every cent that they may get, we can actually free up some jobs for younger adults as well because we're losing thing hand over fist in Huron and Bruce County."
And Green Party candidate Jutta Splettstoesser says seniors need a guaranteed liveable income of $20,000 per year.
"The Green Party really recognizes that the elderly need at least $20,000 of guaranteed liveable income. They need secure pensions, the pensions cannot be used for other things," says Splettstoesser. "And we need to have a better housing plan as well so you can age with integrity in your own home and have access to proper services."
The debate took place at the Queensway Retirement Living and Long Term Care Home in Hensall last night.
Here is a list of more debates scheduled within the Huron-Bruce riding:
September 30 at 7pm – in Holmesville at Community Centre Organizer: Huron County Federation of Agriculture
October 5 at 7pm – in Teeswater at Community Centre Organizer: Bruce County Federation of Agriculture
October 6 at 7pm – in Goderich at Legion Hall, 56 Kingston St. Organizer: Huron County Chamber of Commerce
October 8 at 7pm – Port Elgin at 600 Tomlinson Dr.
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Conservative candidate Ben Lobb says the government has made sound decisions.
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[audio mp3="http://blackburnnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/2-Ben-Lobb-SENIORS-LIVING.mp3"][/audio]
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Liberal candidate Allan Thompson says low income seniors need more support.
[audio mp3="http://blackburnnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/1-Allen-Thompson-GIS.mp3"][/audio]
[audio mp3="http://blackburnnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/2-Allan-Thompson-SENIOR-HOUSING.mp3"][/audio]
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Huron-Bruce NDP candidate Gerard Creces says the retirement age needs to be to 65 because seniors have earned that right.
[audio mp3="http://blackburnnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/2-Gerard-Creces-RETIREMENT.mp3"][/audio]
[audio mp3="http://blackburnnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/1-Gerard-Creces-SENIORS-RETIREMENT.mp3"][/audio]
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Green Party candidate Jutta Splettstoesser says seniors need a guaranteed liveable income of $20,000 per year.
[audio mp3="http://blackburnnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/1-Jutta-Splettstoesser-SENIORS-HOME.mp3"][/audio]
[audio mp3="http://blackburnnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/2-Jutta-Splettstoesser-SENIORS-INCOME.mp3"][/audio]
