Newmarket-Aurora federal election candidates talk social issues

Yorkregion.com
Sept. 11, 2015
By Chris Simon

From poverty and the state of health care to Aboriginal rights and the Syrian refugee crisis, Newmarket-Aurora candidates discussed the social issues close to their hearts during an all-candidates meeting at Trinity United Church Sept. 10.

About 100 people packed the church to hear Conservative incumbent MP Lois Brown, Liberal candidate Kyle Peterson, New Democratic hopeful Yvonne Kelly, Green contender Vanessa Long and Progressive Canadian nominee Dorian Baxter lay out their top social issues of the federal election campaign.

Kelly led off the evening by stressing the importance of developing a national housing strategy to reduce poverty, closing tax loopholes for corporate CEOs and investing in local infrastructure projects.

"I think we can do better," she said.

"Everybody in Newmarket is ready for (infrastructure investment), an investment in small business. It creates good jobs. We can build an economy without putting our environment at risk."

Baxter says the government should urgently tackle poverty, health care and justice system problems.

"Poverty gives birth to a myriad serious issues," he said. "I want to not just raise the issue of poverty but talk about how we begin to fight it. We need to have mandated (that) developers have a certain percentage of units built for affordable housing. We need more doctors. We need to make arrangements for all these other doctors that are driving cabs around Toronto to be able to qualify."

Brown chose climate change, violence against Aboriginal women and the Syrian refugee crisis as the most pressing social issues facing the Canadian government. While the feds have a generous and accepting refugee policy already, they must also focus on continuing to provide humanitarian aid to troubled countries across the world.

"Our government understands climate change has to be addressed in a multi-faceted way," she said. "We are the first government in Canadian history to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and we've done so while protecting the economy and jobs. Canada boasts one of the cleanest electricity systems globally."

While Peterson agrees with Brown on the importance of dealing with the refugee crisis, the government can do more to speed up the immigration process. He also echoed Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau's call to allow 25,000 Syrian refugees in Canada by Jan. 1.

"Our plan will make a real, positive difference in the lives of Canadians," he said. "We must help Syrian refugees who are seeking safety. This is about leadership and doing what is right. I know 25,000 isn't going to save everybody. But even if we prevent one (death), isn't that worth it?"

He also noted the need to reduce poverty in Canada and improve relations with First Nations communities as top social priorities.

Long says the government must end poverty through the implementation of a guaranteed livable income for residents and close tax loopholes for the wealthiest Canadians. She also supports a national housing strategy.

"We have a plan to end poverty," she said. "This is a fully-costed platform. We take all the programs where we distribute income and we make it so every Canadian gets a standard income that you can build upon. Nobody will live in poverty anymore. No one will slip through the cracks and every Canadian will be guaranteed a decent quality of life."