Canadians will head to the polls in a federal election on Monday, April 28. We asked candidates in the riding of Huron Bruce a series of questions related to the top issues of the campaign. Their answers are below.
Melanie Burrett (NDP)
Q: Uncertainty over tariffs is raising serious financial concerns for the agricultural and manufacturing sectors – two of the largest employers in midwestern Ontario. What is your party committed to doing to address these concerns and support local businesses?
A: The NDP is committed to running a Build Canadian Buy Canadian strategy to build more of what we need here in Canada and prioritize products made by Canadian workers in public procurement. We need to shore up our economy internally and build more capacity, including here in Huron-Bruce. That includes more local manufacturing, such as expanding local companies which build prefab houses, which will also support our plan to build 3 million homes by 2030. Expanding local manufacturing and training local people to build. Also, relying on the US for meat processing is a major gamble especially going forward. It's not only better for jobs here, but also better for the environment and food safety. There are no downsides.
Q: Because of the amount of attention being paid to the tariffs and how they will affect the Canadian economy, the issue of climate change has taken a backseat in this campaign. What will your party do to address the changing climate?
A: Canadians are doing their part to fight the climate crisis. They deserve a government who does its part, too. People are losing their homes, livelihoods and even lives to wildfires, floods and increasingly extreme weather across the country. Under the Liberals Canada has the worst record on climate action in the G7 and provides more public financing for oil and gas than any other G20 country. The Conservatives can't even agree that climate change is real. The NDP will tax the over-the-top profits of oil and gas companies and stop letting big polluters off the hook by making them pay for their pollution. The NDP will also give Canadians a $10,000 instant rebate on Canadian-made electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
Q: As an aging population continues to stretch the resources of our health care system, some have argued for more involvement from the private sector. Where does your party stand on expansion of private health care versus protecting Canada’s universal health care system?
A: Universal healthcare is part of the fabric of Canadian society. When the Conservatives were in government they cut health care by $43.5 billion and slashed Old Age Security while raising the retirement age to 67. Poilievre refused to go after the provinces who violated the Canada Health Act and opened the door to corporations to try to take over our health care. The Liberals let Conservative Premiers and CEOs cut the services we need with no repercussions. Protecting public health means having the guts to defend it. Because of New Democrats the government implemented dental care and better access to birth control and diabetes medications. We also promise to improve the working conditions of doctors, nurses, and all healthcare professionals, work with provinces and territories to recruit, train, and retain more doctors and nurses to work across Canada. Invest in better home care and long-term care, and implement free prescribed medication so nobody has to choose between their health and rent.
Q: We continue to experience a housing shortage in Ontario, and in much of Canada. While we need to build more homes, it is also vitally important that farmland be protected in this region. What specific steps would you take to make sure that both things are achieved?
A: As Housing Minister Poilievre only built six homes. Also, his top donors are real estate developer CEOs. Mark Carney spent his career making billionaires even richer by buying up apartment blocks, evicting tenants and hiking rents. Neither of them will stop corporations from seizing land. The NDP will ban investment firms from buying up properties, and use public land to build affordable homes, not luxury condos. Ontario has some of the best farmland in Canada. It shouldn't be wasted.
Q: The cost of living has become unmanageable for some and there are many others who are concerned about a possible economic recession in Canada. What would you do to address the cost of living for voters in midwestern Ontario?
James Rice (Liberal)
Q: Uncertainty over tariffs is raising serious financial concerns for the agricultural and manufacturing sectors – two of the largest employers in midwestern Ontario. What is your party committed to doing to address these concerns and support local businesses?
A: A new Liberal government would support both of these sectors to respond to, and adapt to, the tariffs. For agriculture specifically a new Liberal government would: Make permanent the doubling of the revenue protection for farmers under the AgriStability Program, from $3 million to $6 million per farm, in the case of significant revenue drops caused by the impacts of tariffs, extreme weather events, and other external shocks; Build more domestic processing capacity, including food processing capacity in rural and remote areas, with a new $200 million Domestic Food Processing Fund; Increase support for farmers, ranchers, and producers to access new markets for their food products with an additional $30 million in the AgriMarketing Program; For both sectors a Liberal government would also expand trade relationships with other more reliable trading partners.
Q: Because of the amount of attention being paid to the tariffs and how they will affect the Canadian economy, the issue of climate change has taken a backseat in this campaign. What will your party do to address the changing climate?
A: A new Liberal government is committed to fighting climate change. We will invest in green technologies and innovations to lessen our carbon foot print and support the economy at the same time. A new Liberal government would protect more of our natural environment by creating 10 new national parks, developing a National Water Security Strategy, and working closely with indigenous peoples. Under a Liberal government Canada will champion nature conservation internationally.
Q: As an aging population continues to stretch the resources of our health care system, some have argued for more involvement from the private sector. Where does your party stand on expansion of private health care versus protecting Canada’s universal health care?
A: Liberals proudly support Canada’s public healthcare system. We have increased the Canada Health Transfer every year in government. Although health care is a provincial responsibility - a Liberal government will enforce the Canada Health Act and would oppose any attempt to privatize the health care system.
Q: We continue to experience a housing shortage in Ontario, and in much of Canada. While we need to build more homes, it is also vitally important that farmland be protected in this region. What specific steps would you take to make sure that both things are achieved?
A: We have been through a crisis like this before. We will use the same method that worked in the crisis after WWII. Liberals will get the government back into the business of housing. A new Liberal government would creates a crown corporation called Build Canada Homes (BCH). Through BCH we will build 500,000 homes per year. BCH will act as a developer, including on public lands.
Our plan also includes cutting municipal development charges in half, cutting red tape and fast-tracking approvals, and removing GST on new builds for first time home buyers up to $1Million.
Q: The cost of living has become unmanageable for some and there are many others who are concerned about a possible economic recession in Canada. What would you do to address the cost of living for voters in midwestern Ontario?
A: Liberals will provide an immediate 1% middle class tax cut to keep more money in people’s pockets.
The Liberal government was also responsible for bringing in many programs that support people through the high cost of living: namely dental care, pharmacare, and childcare. These programs provide valuable services and save people money.
Liberals increased Old Age Security and the Guaranteed Income Supplement by 10%. A new Liberal government would increase the GIS by another 5% this year.
A new Liberal government will invest billions into the Canadian economy to grow Canada into the strongest economy in the G7.
Justin Smith (Independent)
Q: Uncertainty over tariffs is raising serious financial concerns for the agricultural and manufacturing sectors – two of the largest employers in midwestern Ontario. What is your party committed to doing to address these concerns and support local businesses?
A: To alleviate the tariffs concerns, I would like to have our government sit down and talk with the American government to negotiate them because the other nations that are, are moving forward with reduced and even full elimination of tariffs. We cannot win by pushing back because our economy is way too small for that. Our GDP is 13 times smaller, which isn’t even close enough for us to bully them, which is what our current politicians are trying to do. To support local businesses in our area and around the country, I would eliminate the government’s wasteful spending so that we can lower all taxes and even eliminate some of them altogether, allowing for new businesses to open and for existing businesses to expand.
Q: Because of the amount of attention being paid to the tariffs and how they will affect the Canadian economy, the issue of climate change has taken a backseat in this campaign. What will your party do to address the changing climate?
A: The climate has always been changing and will always continue to change. Canada is already carbon-negative and even if we were to stop everything tomorrow, including breathing, there would be no change globally because our contribution is negligible. In order to make a real impact, we must move production back to Canada, where we have environmental standards. For example, having our solar panels made and lithium mined for batteries in China, we are increasing global pollution as they don’t have the environmental protections that we have here. Finally, something that we can do around here and in the cities to reduce the temperature and smog is to plant more trees, especially along roads, parking lots, and anywhere else that is paved. This will create shade and will bring down the temperature and filter the air. Unfortunately, the more urban an area is, the fewer trees there are.
Q: As an aging population continues to stretch the resources of our healthcare system, some have argued for more involvement from the private sector. Where does your party stand on the expansion of private health care versus protecting Canada’s universal health care system?
A: There are many Canadians who are able to go to the US and pay for the care that they could have gotten here but our system is too slow and so they go elsewhere. We can approach this in two ways. To oversimplify it, one way is to create some private healthcare so that those who are willing to pay can and then have a portion of that money be sent into the public healthcare system in order to keep the quality the same, even if the speed is different. Alternatively, if we were able to increase the quality of our existing system by setting new national standards. This would be done by enticing more medical professionals to want to work here, ensuring the money that is going into it is being spent properly through spending accountability and transparency, and putting more money into it if we have to by reducing the government’s wasteful spending. Or, perhaps, a mix of both options. I would get feedback from my constituents and take their decision to Ottawa.
Q: We continue to experience a housing shortage in Ontario, and in much of Canada. While we need to build more homes, it is also vitally important that farmland be protected in this region. What specific steps would you take to make sure that both things are achieved?
A: We need to reduce the demand for housing and to do that we have to drastically lower immigration to numbers that haven’t been seen since World War 2. Those in Canada who have been waiting for homes should be able to get them. I would also end foreign property ownership. With lower demand, more homes, and lower prices, we will be able to fix the housing shortage. As for protecting farmland, we need to stop the expropriation of the land. Property rights should be in the Charter so that no government or organization can take land that doesn’t belong to them for any reason. If a farmer doesn’t want to sell, then he or she shouldn’t be forced or coerced into doing that. For longer term to protect against family farms from being bought by larger corporations because the children can’t afford to take it over because of “inheritance” tax, I would also advocate for the removal of all taxes that would apply to family owned farms. For example, if a single parent owns 100 acres and passes away, the child who would inherit it shouldn’t have to pay a six-figure tax bill. I personally know someone in this very situation and I feel bad for them and want to do what I can to help this from happening to anyone else.
Q: The cost of living has become unmanageable for some and there are many others who are concerned about a possible economic recession in Canada. What would you do to address the cost of living for voters in midwestern Ontario?
A: To make life more affordable, I would reduce every tax and completely eliminate some of them as well, no tax on any essential items or used items, and foreign property ownership, end all government waste and bloat, which would include a more than 50% pay cut for government officials, all federal projects must be done reasonably and with independent oversight so that no more than necessary is spent, end all bailouts and subsidies, pay off the debt so that we’re not wasting money on interest, and I would also sell off any crown corporations that compete directly with private companies, like the CBC or Canada Post. By doing all of these things, and more, the deficit would be gone, the debt would shortly be paid off, and we would have a significant surplus of money in which we can continually lower taxes and/or put more money into other programs, like the military, healthcare, infrastructure, and numerous other things- depending on what Canadians want.
Cesare Pella (Independent)
Q Uncertainty over tariffs is raising serious financial concerns for the agricultural and manufacturing sectors – two of the largest employers in midwestern Ontario. What is your party committed to doing to address these concerns and support local businesses?
A: Increase the number, quality, and pervasiveness of apprenticeship programs to address the lack of workforce availability. Streamline the administrative processes concerning foreign aid workers so that they do not constitute needless and costly red tape. Better coordinate financial incentive plans at provincial and federal levels to provide a robust backing to both sectors, from which to face and respond to the ebb and flows of market and trade vagaries. Reduce interprovincial barriers, in terms of certifications, levies, flow of workforce and goods, and any other administrative and regulatory impediment to Canada-wide production and trade. Incentivize, finance, and otherwise support innovation and technological improvements within a frame of long-term sustainability. Coordinate and facilitate provincial and federal programs aimed at responding to continental market challenges stemming from the present trade chaos and future developments.
Q: Because of the amount of attention being paid to the tariffs and how they will affect the
Canadian economy, the issue of climate change has taken a backseat in this campaign. What will your party do to address the changing climate?
A: Mitigation of the effects of hitherto performed overexploitation of the ecosystems, and development of of a diversified, comprehensive strategy to substantially transition from a fossil-fuel based economy to an R and D-based economy, both by expanding/improving our educational system and by facilitating/incentivizing all our industrial sectors to adopt efficient and sustainable energetic options within a holistic plan of balanced use of natire’s resources. Such a plan must be, at the same time, effective, efficient, productive, and long-term sustainable. We certainly MUST stop our daily 1.3 to 1 ratio use of our planet's resources.
Q: As an aging population continues to stretch the resources of our health care system, some have argued for more involvement from the private sector. Where does your party stand on expansion of private health care versus protecting Canada’s universal health care system?
A: Private health care is the easy, downhill, paved-in-gold road to hell. There is a limited place and a role for private health care in niche markets/sectors/professions to integrate within and support a robust, comprehensive and properly structured and financed national health service grid. Cooperation and synergy of provincial and national components and partners must be streamlined and strengthened in a spirit of good-faith collaboration for the benefit of ALL. The availiability of higher education programs for all the segments of health care professionals now needed and emerging trades must be fostered and expanded. Foreign health care professionals immigrating to Canada MUST be properly scrutinized and vetted through integrative phasing-in programs in-the-field of our various health care facilities and institutions (enough of foreign doctors driving taxis). Proper financing must be ensured for all sectors and levels of health care. Decentralization and ‘communitization ‘of services must ensure easier access to care for all the population, particularly the aging / most aged segments of us, who experience growing mobility issues.
Q: We continue to experience a housing shortage in Ontario, and in much of Canada. While we need to build more homes, it is also vitally important that farmland be protected in this region. What specific steps would you take to make sure that both things are achieved?
A: Make public properties available for conversions/restructurings/renovations aimed at generating integrated affordable housing offers for a mix of income levels and social strata tenants, with possible options of rent-to-buy. Market feasibility MUST be harmonized with social liveability. Make some available public lands available for ecologically-sound and sustainable multiunit, intensive, vertical projects of affordable housing, with focus on community integration and balance of ‘enjoyability’ of living quarters, access to services, and green spaces within walking distance, in a pedestrian-friendly setting. Review building codes to promote and facilitate vertical/intensive private housing projects, ensuring the harmony of social components of the tenant population and avoiding gated bunkers of the privileged or ‘ghettos’ of underprivileged, which compartmentalizes social strata with very negative effects on community life. Strengthen all legal and administrative regulations and provisions that focus of the centrality of farmland and agricultural production, promoting organic agriculture and fostering/supporting short-range farm-to-table programs for local consumption and reduction of transportation add-on costs for both farmers and the general population.
Q: The cost of living has become unmanageable for some and there are many others who are concerned about a possible economic recession in Canada. What would you do to address the cost of living for voters in midwestern Ontario?
A: Great Wealth Fair and Balanced Taxation in order to generate sufficient fiscal put an end to the “Small Blanket Syndrome” of public revenues, whereby governments are forced to rob Peter to pay Paul, always finding themselves short of available resources to duly service social needs in all sectors, from health, to education, from transportation, to pensions, etc., etc., etc... Fine-tune, and reform where needed, the banking and financial sectors framework and regulations so as to avoid/eliminate the flight of great capitals to foreign tax havens, and close the numberless loopholes that allow mayor corporations to pay PALTRY taxes domestically, thus lessening the tax burden on the middle class. Introduce a Robin Hood Levy, aimed at reducing/eliminating the insulting and socially costly reality of the ‘working poor’, forced to work two or three minimum wage jobs, thus neglecting their children, and STILL having to juggle paying the rent with fixing the car or bying a pair of shoes for the child, and resort fo food banks… We cannot keep on increasing minimum wages on small businesses that often operate within limited profit margins.
**other candidates in the riding include Ben Lobb (Conservative) and Gregory MacLean (Green). These candidates have not yet replied with answers to the questions. If/when they do, their answers will be added to this post.