Canadians will head to the polls in a federal election on Monday, April 28. We asked candidates in the riding of Bruce Grey Owen Sound a series of questions related to the top issues of the campaign. Their answers are below.
Alex Ruff (Conservative)
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: When it comes to addressing Mr. Trump’s ongoing tariff threats, our immediate response should be to impose reciprocal tariffs to fight back against the unjustified American attacks. We must make it a priority to keep Canadian industry moving, a future Conservative government will launch a “Keep Canadians Working Fund,” a targeted, temporary loan program for businesses directly hit, helping them keep workers on the job. We will propose accelerated renegotiations to replace the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), bringing in a new deal on trade and security that protects all the while protecting our farmers including supply management, our fresh water, and our automotive workers. We will also propose that both countries pause tariffs while we renegotiate a deal to bring some stability to our local businesses. In the long term, Conservatives will make Canada less reliant on the US and find new global markets for our local businesses and manufacturers to export. We will also lower taxes, including scrapping the industrial carbon tax to allow businesses to expand rapidly.
Specifically for our agricultural sector, first and foremost I believe any ag policies must be developed in consultation with our farmers. Personally, I believe we need to increase local processing capacity, support self-sufficiency in national food production to include making it easier to buy local goods while removing any intra-provincial trade barriers, enhance export opportunities for all agricultural products and reverse Liberal Capital Gains increases on farmers.
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: Conservatives believe climate change and the environment must be addressed, protected, and safeguarded through technology, not taxes. As a member of the Sydenham Sportsmen Association and the Bruce Peninsula Sportsmen Association, I care deeply about environmental stewardship and conservation. I will continue to support research and development aimed at creating safe, dependable and economical options, including carbon capture technology, battery-based storage, small modular nuclear reactors and hydrogen-based generation like Hydrogen Optimized in Owen Sound. Furthermore, I am an advocate of nuclear energy. Canada has the safest, most reliable nuclear energy sector in the world. We will also tackle global emissions by supporting projects that will deliver clean, responsibly produced Canadian steel and liquified natural gas to world markets, and reduce reliance on undemocratic countries with little or no environmental protections.
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: A Conservative government will respect our constitution by not interfering in provincial jurisdiction. The provinces and territories should have maximum flexibility to ensure the delivery of medically necessary health services within a universal, public health care system. Conservatives believe that all Canadians should have reasonable access to quality healthcare regardless of their ability to pay. The federal government should strive to meet its federal health transfer obligation. To address doctor and nurse shortages, over two years ago, Conservatives proposed the creation of a “Blue Seal” program that would fast-track foreign credential recognition so new Canadians can get the qualifications they need to help improve our healthcare systems. The Conservative Party supports amending the Canada Health Act to recognize palliative care as a separate and distinct right for all Canadians.
A Conservative government is committed to protecting Canada’s public healthcare 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: After ten years of this Liberal government, housing costs have doubled. Conservatives will remove the GST from the sale of new homes under $1.3 million. We will use federal funds to incentivize municipalities to remove red tape that blocks home building and can cost up to $100,000 per new home. Municipalities will also be required to pre-approve building permits for high-density housing around transit stations. When it comes to protecting farmland, high-density housing on or near key transportation corridors should be prioritized as opposed to expanding outwards, taking up Canada’s valuable farmland. Conservatives will provide even more land to build on by selling 15% of the federal government’s 37,000 buildings, building housing on land that is already developed.
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: I along with my Conservative colleagues have been very concerned about the rising cost of living that all Canadians are feeling. After 10 years of this Liberal government’s mismanagement of our economy, Canada’s growth is nearly the lowest out of all developed countries, and housing costs have doubled. Conservatives will axe the carbon tax permanently and on everything, including the industrial carbon tax that is passed down to the consumer. Furthermore, Conservatives will cut income taxes by 15% so the average worker can keep an extra $900 each year, while dual-income families will keep $1,800 more. To protect our auto workers’ jobs and save Canadians money, we will axe the sales tax on new Canadian cars. We will help seniors with the option of growing savings in RRSPs until age 73, up from 71, and by protecting OAS, GIS & CPP by keeping the retirement age at 65. Working seniors will be able to earn up to $34,000 tax free—$10k more than now. For Tax Free Savings Accounts, conservatives will allow an additional $5,000 a year for investments in Canadian companies (on top of the $7,000 limit). The ‘Canada First Economic Action Plan’ will make life affordable by boosting Canada’s economic activity by half-trillion dollars over the next five years, with new infrastructure and resource projects across the country, creating jobs and prosperity.
Natasha Akiwenzie (Green Party)
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: We will create more green jobs and provide training for these jobs. Agriculture and manufacturing sectors are incredibly important to Bruce Grey and need our continued support. We will need to help them to be able to ship their products across Canada and possibly to other countries.
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 Green's climate action plan is to stop investing in gas and oil companies and invest in clean energy and ensure big polluters are responsible for the climate damage they cause. I have seen how climate change is affecting this area. The lack of ice coverage on Lake Huron and Georgian Bay and how the winds have increased are just a couple of examples.
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: I believe in Canada's universal health care system and it could be expanded to include more services like improving mental health care and making medication free to everyone through pharmacare. I see improving mental health care as an important proactive step. It should be seen as a courageous step that someone can ask and receive the proper help they need or want. Medication being offered free to everyone allows every person to live a better life. Needing to be on medication is hard enough so by eliminating the costs helps with lessening that burden.
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?
We're going to build more public housing since the 1970's, using Canadian materials and making it affordable. I also know how valuable farmland is for food production for us and the livestock. Paving over farmland or building on it doesn't feed us. Instead of just building very large homes for profit, we need to build smarter to meet the housing needs of many different people.
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: We will eliminate all federal income taxes on incomes less than $40,000/year. This way more money stays in the community. I know the cost of living has increased considerably and makes for some very difficult decisions. We need to look at regulating the profits of grocery store chains and other essentials.
**Also running in Bruce Grey Owen Sound are Anne Marie Watson (Liberal), Christopher Neudorf (NDP), Pavel Smolko (People's Party of Canada), and Anne Gillies (United Party of Canada). These candidates have not yet responded with answers to the above questions. If/when they do, their answers will be added to this post.