Election forum breakdown: Where candidates stand on local issues

Liberal Ken Munro is from Edmonton but says if he won he would move to Grande Prairie to be accessible to the public.

Erin Alyward with the NDP isn’t from the region, but says she knows the struggle, fears, and joys that workers in Alberta face.

Conservative incumbent Chris Warkentin is from Grande Prairie, and says it’s important to know the people and the issues in the community, and represent them when in Ottawa.

People’s Party of Canada candidate Doug Burchill said though he lives on the border of the Peace River-Westlock and Grande Prairie-Mackenzie ridings, he doesn’t feel it’s that important to have a local representing the people, so long as their beliefs align.

What is your Party’s plan to address the Opioid Crisis?

Burchill said his party doesn’t have a platform, as it’s a provincial issue, but the criminal issue needs to be dealt with and people need to be held accountable.

Alyward says her party would work with the provinces to open more overdose prevention sites and expand treatments, as well as investigate the source of the drugs.

Warkentin says his party would root out the source of drugs crossing the border and stop them from entering the country, as well as investigate the source of these drugs.

Munro says firstly, they must find out how the drugs are entering the country and stop the flow.

“Secondly, there are people who are affected now, who must have safe places for people who have been afflicted by this drug problem to go and seek help. And we must be very careful to work with the people who not only will become afflicted but those who are afflicted.”

How would your Party support farmers, given China’s trade restrictions?

Alyward says her party would bring in a food strategy and would ensure farmers are fully compensated for losses incurred as a result of the trade deal.

Munro talked up trade agreements but is worried the U.S. will not ratify the new trade deal because they are busy fighting with each other. He also talked about developing new markets for agricultural products.

Burchill says they would reduce fees and commissions, and that one million dollars is sitting in commission accounts, which would be sent back to farmers.

Warkentin says the Liberals have given too much away and that is a problem that needs fixing.

“The fact that the Government of Canada, the Liberals, have given the Chinese government $250,000,000 to invest in the Asia Infrastructure Fund, so they can build infrastructure and pipelines through Asia, is something the Government of Canada should immediately retract.”

What is the Federal Government’s role in addressing the issue of affordable housing?

Alyward says the NDP plan on building over 500,000 new houses at a more affordable rate for new home buyers.

Munro says housing is an issue across the country, especially for Indigenous housing, and it’s an issue they have to resolve by working with the Indigenous people. He added the Liberals are proposing bigger loans for young people struggling to afford housing that could be forgiven if they get married and have a child before the loan is repaid.

Warkentin says the Federal Government can’t constitutionally spend money in the provinces, but something needs to be done to address local needs, especially with crisis housing, by working together with the provinces. He adds that local issues have come from mortgage changes by the Liberal Government, which has driven people in the area out of the buying market and into the renting market, and that needs to be remedied.

Burchill says housing is a provincial issue.

“The Federal Government should not get involved in housing. The problems in Grande Prairie-Mackenzie are different from Quebec and from Newfoundland. What we can do is lower taxes, we can cut back immigration to keep housing more affordable, and we are also proposing to cut down the capital gains tax, which would benefit a lot of people.”

What is your Party’s platform on dealing with the rising cost of health care, without jeopardizing patient care and availability?

Munro says they would try to increase the amount of money paid to provinces for health care, as well as try to provide help in new areas, including mental health, and providing more doctors and education opportunities for Indigenous communities.

Warkentin says they are committed to maintaining health transfers to the provinces, and though health care falls to the province, there are areas that they have committed to, including spending $1.5 billion to buy MRI machines and diagnostic machines for hospitals across the country to help cut down on waitlists, and get diagnostics done quickly.

Burchill says they would take $40 billion that they currently transfer to the provinces for health care, as well as tax points from GST, and send it all directly to the provinces, who will solve their issues on their own.

Alyward says the NDP will continue to support universal health care, as well as push for pharmacare.

“Too many families are having to go without certain things in order to afford their medicine, or are not able to afford their medicine, because they have to buy other things. So we want to have access to pharmacare.”

The forum was organized by the Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce, who live-streamed the event on their Facebook page. It can be seen in its entirety in the video below:

Courtesy: Facebook / Grande Prairie and District Chamber of Commerce

Advance polls are open Friday through Monday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Election Day is October 21.

More information on the candidates and their parties can be found below.

Chris Warkentin – Conservative Party
Ken Munro – Liberal Party
Doug Burchill – People’s Party of Canada
Erin Alyward – NDP
Shelley Termuende- Green Party

by Liam Verster

Election forum breakdown: Where candidates stand on local issues

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