Candidates for Wellington-Halton Hills squared off here on May 26 in the riding’s first debate leading up to the June 12 provincial election.
Though the Elections Ontario website lists six candidates in the Wellington-Halton Hills riding, only four attended the debate: incumbent MPP Ted Arnott (Conservative), Michael Carlucci (NDP), Dave Rodgers (Green Party) and Dan Zister (Liberal Party).
Absent were Jason Cousineau (Libertarian Party) and Mitch Sproule (Freedom Party).
Monday night’s two-hour meeting was hosted by the Puslinch Optimist Club at the Puslinch Community Centre and moderated by Optimist Don McKay.
Liberal
Candidate Dan Zister said he is excited to be involved in the election process and trying to do better for a cause in which he believes.
Zister grew up on a horse farm in Woolwich Township and his career in business analysis (working with technology and finance) has taken him across the globe. He hopes to apply those skills to make the province stronger and a better place to live.
Zister said he believes his experience in the boardrooms of some of the world’s largest banks will be helpful in a role as MPP.
NDP
Candidate Michael Carlucci is currently studying law at the University of Calgary.
“I’ve lived, worked and volunteered and studied in our riding for the past 12 years,” said Carlucci.
He added he is not running for the left-of-centre people who already identify with the New Democrats. Instead, he said he is running for Liberal-minded, centrist people who are tired of broken promises and a party fraught with scandals.
Carlucci said he is also running for the right-of-centre people who feel betrayed by Tim Hudak’s proposals.
“The PC platform just doesn’t make sense,” said Carlucci.
He told the crowd the NDP provides a reasonable alternative to a Conservative government.
Conservative
Incumbent MPP Ted Arnott noted the Aberfoyle meeting was the first all-candidates meeting in Wellington-Halton Hills leading up to the important choice voters face on June 12.
He said that choice “is between a status quo government tainted by scandal, folly and a disregard for taxpayers’ money – or change which will make job creation and responsible management of the government’s finances the central priorities.”
He stated that in the parliamentary system of government, voters do not directly vote for one party leader or any specific platform or policy.
“Instead you vote for a person from amongst the various names on the ballot.” Arnott then said, “for almost 24 years, I’ve been privileged to serve at the Ontario Legislature.”
He then spoke of the many local issues on which he’s worked with local residents, including controversial OMB hearings over gravel pits, annexation negotiations with the City of Guelph, the controversy over the Nestlé water taking permit, efforts to rehabilitate Puslinch Lake and more recently, the need for a Highway 6 bypass around Morriston.
“We’ve worked to ensure the qualities of this unique one-of-kind community could be preserved for current
residents as well as into the future,” said Arnott.
Green Party
David Rodgers opened by noting he lived across the street “and since it was a beautiful day, I wanted to welcome you to my neighbourhood – I’ve always wanted to say that.”
He currently operates a environmental consulting company and has lived in Puslinch Township for more than 30 years.
Candidate meetings form the basis of participatory democracy, he said.
Rodgers clarified his reason for running for the Green Party is its commitment to political integrity, and its vision for a sustainable future for Ontario and Canada.
“As a scientist I am especially dedicated to helping Ontario maintain and extend its leading role in environmental sciences and creating a green economy.” As a parent, he also wants to ensure his children have the full opportunity to realize their potential.
Locally, he was able to channel his knowledge working with Friends of Mill Creek.
Candidates faced questions from the floor on not only local issues such as the Morriston bypass, but also wider issues such as long-term care.
The questions
How would you guarantee that every person requiring long-term care will get the same good standard of care?
Arnott, who noted the issue affects virtually every family, said the current system includes both private and public long-term care facilities across the province.
“I would agree there needs to be a … consistent standard of care across the system.”
He noted the province has a system of inspections and compliance programs to ensure the standards of care are acceptable.
Zister said the issue of Ontario health care was one of his weaker areas of expertise.
“I’m still coming up to speed. I don’t have quite the information or history the incumbent does,” said Zister, adding it is a tricky issue to get right.
“Our government has done substantial work in helping out.”
He also suggested he did not believe a Hudak government would continue those investments. He added that it also seems the federal government is more interested in balancing its budget than the health care system.
Carlucci said it was unfortunate that over the past 10 years there have only been minimal improvements to health care.
“I do not favour the for-profit system simply because it will result in a lower standard of care.”
He also opposes public/private partnerships calling them a means of getting spending off the books.
Rodgers said one of the principles of the Green Party is local engagement – public or private. He said there is potential for private operations providing there is effective local engagement.
Candidates were asked point blank whether or not (if elected) their party would put the Morriston bypass on the province’s five-year infrastructure schedule.
None were able to respond with a simple “yes” or “no.”
Carlucci agreed the cost of not having the bypass is in the millions. He also agreed the area is dangerous.
“But I can’t tell you what the NDP will do, but if they were in government I would be a strong voice pushing for the bypass.”
Carlucci said Arnott and the municipalities have tried to push for this and the government is simply not responding.
Rodgers commented one of the reasons he moved from Morriston to Aberfoyle was in part because of the lack of a bypass.
“As a Green candidate who is unlikely to be in the government, my stand would be to do everything I could, if elected, to represent the people here as best I can. A big part of that is fighting like hell for the Morriston bypass.”
He said that in the 16 years Arnott has represented Puslinch Township, nothing has progressed.
“I’d like to wave a magic wand if I could,” said Rodgers.
Zister said he supported the bypass and would work to make it happen.
“I don’t understand why it’s taken so long,” he said.
Zister noted he realized the Liberals have been in power for the past 10 years, “as far as why we haven’t progressed on this … I am somewhat at a loss for words as to what has gone on.”
“I understand this is definitely a big issue.” He pointed to the incumbent MPP to ask why the issue is still on the books.
“I’m glad I get the last word on this one,” Arnott said.
He said the reason the project has not been put on the five-year plan “is because the Minister of Transportation has consistently refused to do so in spite of the efforts of many people in our community who have spoken up – including the Puslinch COPs committee, successive Puslinch and Wellington County councils. They have all spoken loudly and clearly.”
Arnott said that on numerous occasions, he brought the issue up at the Legislature.
“We’ve tried everything I can think of to get the government to do the right thing.”
While he could not guarantee an outcome, Arnott promised to continue his best efforts to make it happen.
What would you personally and your party do to give Ontarians the right to choose medically-assisted hastening of death if a person faced unbearable and terminal suffering?
Rodgers agreed with the need and would work with groups to further legislation to allow medically-assisted suicides.
Carlucci said that as a law student, he’d been tackling the issue as it is going through the court system now.
“Unfortunately it is an issue where the federal government has a lot to say.”
He said “while my personal view on this is undecided, I’m not sure what the official NDP policy is. It is a complex issue that the courts and federal government will have to sort out before the province can really get involved without being overruled.”
Arnott said, “I do not personally agree with euthanasia, I am opposed to it. I do not believe we have the right to make those decisions.”
However he recognized these are difficult decisions faced by every family at some point.
“We have to do everything we can to ensure those facing end of life are given the medical care they need and compassionate care,” said Arnott.
Zister agreed it is a difficult issue.
While he wasn’t certain as to the official Liberal position, “Personally I am in favour of it. A couple of years ago my grandmother passed away, long before she actually did and it was painful to watch her suffer.”
But, he said, it is a tricky and delicate issue.
“As our population gets older, it will become more of an issue.”
Arnott was asked if he supported Tim Hudak’s proposal to cut 100,000 civil service jobs for the sake of balancing a budget.
Arnott responded, “I do support Tim Hudak as leader of our party.”
He said the goal of the One Million Jobs plan is to stimulate the creation of one million jobs over an eight year period while moving forward to balance the budget within two years.
“It’s true that Tim Hudak has proposed to reduce the size of government down to something which we can afford.”
He stated half of the government’s current cost is payroll.
“My hope that this could be accomplished through a flexible hiring freeze, attrition, reorganization of government departments and a two-year freeze on salaries. I think it could be done.”
He believed it is important to deal with the province’s debt.
He said, “If we were not in this dire fiscal predicament, we wouldn’t even be contemplating these sorts of things.”
Carlucci called the One Million Jobs plan “a big number to get votes.”
He contended 500,000 of those jobs would be created in the next eight years regardless of which party takes power as a result of population and economic growth.
“Our deficit – historically and comparatively – is not that bad. We don’t need to be afraid.”
While Carlucci agreed the budget needs to be dealt with, “cutting jobs and de-investing in our youth is not the best way to balance the budget.”
Rodgers said the point is the budget deficit.
“One of the interesting things about the Green Party is that it thinks outside the box.”
One of the platform items is to commit to the real cost of resources which could have a significant impact on the budget.
His example is the fees generated by water extraction, which are less than the costs of the application.
Zister agreed “the million jobs is just a big number.”
He contend the Liberals are already well on the way to making jobs in the future.
“The question is do we have the skills to meet the jobs we are trying to fill?”
As a business analyst, Zister considered the Million Job Plan as “ludicrous and I can’t even begin to point out its flaws.” He then asked Arnott what types of jobs are proposed to be cut.
Arnott said the platform cites that no vital front line jobs such as nurses, doctors, firefighters or police would be affected.
The idea is to focus on a redesign of government and get out of services which could be better done by the private sector, he added.
