A time for change in Ottawa and a time for new blood in New West were among the themes emerging at a recent all-candidates meeting in New Westminster-Burnaby.
More than 100 people attended the New Westminster Chamber of Commerce’s all-candidates meeting at the Justice Institute on Sept. 27.
Incumbent NDP MP Peter Julian, who has represented New Westminster in Ottawa since 2004, said he’s helped more than 15,000 families and individuals over the last few years and has a great record of making sure the federal government invests in the riding. He said the NDP’s priorities include creating affordable housing and child care, addressing the climate change emergency and establishing a fair tax system.
“Families in this area and right across the country are struggling. Record debt loads,” he said. “When we talk to Canadians we know that in an average month, half of Canadian families are just $200 away from not being able to pay their bills.”
Julian said the Liberal government has given $14 billion to the banking industry and is spending billions on the Trans Mountain pipeline. He said Canadians need a government that puts those resources to work for regular families, rather than going to lobbyists, overseas tax havens and mega-projects that don’t make sense.
“What we need to do is put those resources to work for you,” he said. “Affordable housing. Pharmacare. Child care. Ensuring that everyone has access to post-secondary education without a $50,000 or $60,000 debt load. Ensuring those things and putting in place as well, climate action so that we can create the new jobs in a prosperous, clean economy.”
Liberal candidate Will Davis said it’s time that New Westminster-Burnaby puts someone in government in Ottawa. He stands by his party’s record over the past four years in government, saying it’s created 1.1 million new jobs, offered tax cuts to help children, and supported housing and families.
“This world has turned to populism and conservatism to the extreme. We have to be careful with this vote,” he said. “We have seen Doug Ford, for example, get voted in in Ontario. We need to not go down that path. It’s where we can’t afford to go.”
According to Davis, 70 per cent of Canada’s $690 billion debt was created under Conservative governments led by Stephen Harper and Brian Mulroney. He hopes Canadians will continue to support the Liberals, noting their plans for investments in infrastructure and public transit across the country.
Megan Veck said the Conservatives are the best party to lead Canada and have the best policies to help Canadians.
“When you look at four years of Liberal failures, when you look at their reckless spending, when you look at Justin Trudeau’s broken promises, when you look at the ways that he has embarrassed us at home and on the world stage, I think it’s pretty obvious we need a new prime minister,” she said. “I think here it’s pretty obvious we need a seat at the table so we can fight not just for us in the House of Commons but also in caucus meetings. I want to be the one that’s fighting for you.”
Green party candidate Suzanne de Montigny said she put her teaching and writing careers on hold to run for office because she was tired of watching Canada turn into a place she didn’t recognize anymore.
“Every family should have affordable housing and health care, and every student should have a post-secondary education available to them. That’s what Canada is about – equality, freedom and compassion,” she said. “The Green Party is neither left, neither right. We are centrists. We believe in open dialogue because that’s how problems are solved.”
De Montigny said the Greens have the only plan that will allow Canada to reach the targets set out in the Paris Agreement, will help Canada make the switch to sustainable energy, and will create four million jobs.
“Please don’t vote strategically this time. It will just be the same bunch of garbage as it usually is. This time we need to focus on science,” she said. “We need to move into the 22nd century – and fast.”
Libertarian Neeraj Murarka said he’s interested in one thing: liberty. He said he’s “absolutely against” taxation and will make sure it’s eventually eliminated.
Murarka said candidates and parties make promises that will cost billions of dollars – and that money has to come from somewhere. He said it’s not his job, as an elected official, to build a house or create jobs out of thin air or to forcibly take money from one person and give it to another person, but to give every person an equal opportunity to earn money.
“People have to work for things. They don’t come for free,” he said. “My job here is to protect people’s rights.
Hansen Ginn, who is the People’s Party of Canada candidate, moved to Burnaby from Calgary in 2017. He said the election of a provincial NDP government in Alberta is why he made his foray into politics as he was disillusioned with the available options.
“I am going to appeal to you and say this is an election of values. Vote for your values,” he said. “Don’t just do a protest vote – we saw how well that turned out in Alberta.”
