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A Recap of The First All Candidates Forum

From left to right: People's Party of Canada candidate Wendy Martin, New Democratic Party candidate Matthew Chambers and Christian Heritage Party of Canada candidate Melody Aldred.

Goff Hall gathered several members of the community for the All Candidates Forum. Last night's debate only featured three of the five candidates, however there were still multiple questions sent their way.

WOODSTOCK - Only three of the five candidates were inside Goff Hall for last night's All Candidates Forum in Woodstock.

The debate was organized by the Oxford Regional Labour Council, which saw residents ask various questions.

People's Party of Canada candidate, Wendy Martin was on hand to promote her party's platform.

"Our plan is to protect and promote the unique country of Canada for all citizens. Our party does not promise massive public spending on a national pharmacare program, instead we do recognize that the healthcare is an exclusive provincial responsibility."

New Democratic Party candidate Matthew Chambers was also there to answer on a variety of topics.

"This election is about priorities. People are worried about the cost of living, housing, how much their bills are going to cost, whether they'll be able to get their medicine today or if they'll be able to eat."

Melody Aldred, a candidate for the Christian Heritage Party of Canada, also addressed the audience's questions.

Conservative Party candidate Dave MacKenzie and Green Party candidate Lisa Birtch-Carriere were not in attendance.

After giving their opening speeches, each candidate spoke on a variety of topics based on housing, environment and seniors.

The first question of the night was posed to all candidates, which was regarding retirement security. 

Although the topic was not on the PPC's platform, Martin gave her personal opinion by recommending stricter rules for the Canadian Pension Plan. She also thinks seniors have to have enough money to live and other investments should be made with the CPP.

Chambers says the NDP, through legislation, would look after employees if a company went under as they want to put the people first, which generated an applause from the crowd.

Aldred says the CHP would introduce the Personal Income Security Account, which she says is being implemented in Chile where workers have retired with a substantial amount of money saved. The primary purpose of the PISA would be to provide money for those who are retiring.

As the evening moved on, another topic that was addressed was the Trans Mountain Pipeline.

Although Aldred had no answer, both Martin and Chambers shared their party's ideas.

Martin says the PPC would build and sell the pipeline, as well as hold consultations with the Indigenous people. She says the pipeline would be built from coast to coast across the country with Canadian oil, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs. 

Chambers' response drew another round of applause from the audience, as he says the NDP believes in investing in different kinds of energy and not fossil fuel. As a result, he says there would be more green sector jobs and they would last longer.

All of the candidates next looked at the housing crisis for young people.

Aldred says the CHP would create a fair tax that would make stay at home parenting more affordable, along with taking steps to reduce divorce and strengthen families.

Chambers recognizes the crisis and says the NDP would create 500,000 new, affordable housing units across the country, including in Southwestern Ontario.

Martin says the housing crisis is a provincial jurisdiction and that it is supply and demand. She says the PPC would want to ensure immigrants are given the opportunity to live outside of Toronto. She adds there would be zero capital gains, which would help landlords and give them an incentive to not increase rent.

When posed with the question of what each candidate would do for the environment if elected, Martin began by saying the PPC would address the lack of clean water for the Indigenous people.

"If they can't have clean water, they can't fish. That fish is contaminated as well, it doesn't mean they're always buying something from a grocery store. We have remote, remote people that are up in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, they should have the drinking water as what we are drinking here today."

As the applause went down following her response, Martin added her party would address other environmental issues including carbon dioxide (CO2).

Chambers added the NDP would invest in green energy as he sees this generation and the next generation living on a viable planet for the future.

Aldred says the CHP would do more research in plastic reduction, preventing water pollution and look into recycling centres.

The topics then switched to each candidate's actions on unionized workers and labour disputes, to whom Chambers says he gives his full support to.

"You can count on me to be there and have my support, maybe not get directly involved with negotiations but I will always be to support workers and my constituents when they ask for my support."

Aldred and Martin both shared the same ideas, as they'd offer support and listen to the workers.

As audience members took their turn at the microphone, the next topic was on the increase of essential services and how it'd be paid for.

Chambers says the NDP would ask the 1% of the wealthy who have $20,000,000 or more of income that they bring in per year to pay a little bit more in taxes. The NDP would also have commitments to housing initiatives and pharmacare.

Martin says there'd be two simple tax brackets; on the first $15,000 people would save $529.00, one straight tax from over $15,000 to $100,000 and anyone making over $100,000 would be taxed 25.00%. 

Aldred added the CHP wants to control debt and look after the people, along with introducing a fair tax and have a stricter budget with no spending overseas.

The final topic of the night was regarding youth and giving back to the kids in the community.

Aldred says she has so much experience with children, including running a daycare in her home and teaching art.

"Kids, they're our future, they're our wealth, they're our treasure. Kids are wonderful and I think that's probably one of the biggest reasons that we're here tonight is we do care about not only our own children, but our nation's children. All the kids of the human family, we want to see them have a better future as they're adults."

Martin says she contributes to youth in her community by giving money to her local church and being involved with the Norwich BIA. She says she wants to encourage kids to have fun, play sports.

Chambers says he teaches karate classes in Ingersoll and also works with older teenagers. He says he wants to show them that it is possible to go into politics at a young age and that anything is possible.

Following the debate, each candidate met with residents to answer any of their additional questions. 

The next debate will run on September 30th at the Unifor Local 636 Hall.
 

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