It might be said the candidates in the Wellington-Halton Hills federal riding are simply reflecting their voting public.
That’s because only 60% of them attended the all candidates meeting at the Fergus Sportsplex on Monday night.
Christian Heritage Party candidate Jeffrey Streutker was a no-show, and sponsor volunteers said NDP candidate Anastasio Zavarella had planned to attend, but she did not.
That left the debate to Green Party candidate Brent Bouteiller, Conservative incumbent Michael Chong, and Liberal Barry Peters.
They fielded a wide variety of questions in a manner that many in the audience wished could be seen more often in parliament, taking swipes at party policy, but generally refraining from getting involved in personalities.
Each candidate was given a minute to speak.
Peters said “People are fed up” and they believe “There is something going on it Ottawa. It’s time for a change.”
He said the Conservative Party “leads in scandals” and the Liberals would “invest in families.”
Bouteiller said the Green Party believes there can be no strong economy until there is a safe and secure environment, and he explained his party has a complete set of policies to offer Canadians.
Chong said the issue is which party leader is the most competent to manage Canada’s economy. He said Stephen Harper is best qualified, and steered Canada through the recession better than any country in the world.
“The economy is fragile and risks remain,” he said.
The first question was the value of hosting a G20 summit.
Chong said the increasing costs “are calling into question the value of them.” He said terrorism meant spending $800-million for security. He noted the recent Olympics had larger expenses for security than for staging.
Peters said the summits “are of extreme importance to Canada and the world,” but at a cost of $1-billion, “What did we get?’
Bouteiller said, “If they are going to be as costly as this last one, the answer is no.” He said Canada has goals to meet, but the Conservatives had only one goal at the summit.
He added, “When Toronto says the location is wrong, you listen.”
A question of health care had all candidates agreeing to support the Canada Health Act and all of its principles.
There was a question about jobs coming back.
Peters said the government stimulus provided “temporary” work. Canada could have invested $60-billion in high tech jobs and instead the money was wasted and the jobs are gone.
Bouteiller agreed with Peters and said the government should invest in green technology jobs. His party would decrease income taxes and increase carbon taxes to promote a green economy.
Chong said Canada lost 400,000 jobs in the recession and “virtually all those jobs were recovered in the last two years.” He cited a number of government policies that helped in that recovery.
When asked what private members bill they would most like to see passed, the candidates offered a variety of choice.
Chong said he would like to see MPs receive more powers and would support a bill that strips party leaders of the ability to appoint candidates, removes their ability to kick someone out of caucus, and would let the caucus trigger a leadership debate.
He believes those changes would restore Canadians’ confidence in democracy.
Peters chose a bill on climate change. He said it has been around for the last five years, and, “It’s time to take action.”
Bouteiller said he liked both of those ideas.
He would like to see changes to the way Canadians elect MPs, and touted proportional representation as the best voting system.
They were asked about coalition governments and if they are legal.
Bouteiller said they are democratic and would force MPs to work together – “something Conservatives don’t want to do.”
Chong said there has been much debate about the issue. Coalitions “are constitutionally valid if the leader has the confidence of the house of commons” but there is “a political dimension.”
He said it would be “politically difficult” for a leader to claim the right to govern if he did not have the most seats.
Peters said his leader, Michael Ignatieff, has said he will not seek a coalition government.
But, he said, if there is a liberal government, his party would “seek to make it work for you.”
One questioner told Chong he admires him but cannot vote for him (but would support him for party leader) because he does not like Stephen Harper for shutting down parliament twice and acts to control everything. He wondered what will happen if Harper gets a majority.
Chong said people would hold a majority government accountable. “I will be the first person to speak out,” and he asked the audience to compare the candidates and decide “Who will stay true to their convictions?”
Peters said Harper “is just waiting for a majority to come along” and he believes health care will be affected.
He regularly speaks to his party leader, who is “open to ideas.”
He added it is “unfortunate the Conservative candidate was put on the back benches. (Chong resigned his cabinet seat over a dispute with Harper.)
Bouteiller said if Harper gets a majority, he believes the government will turn health care into an American style system.
Another question was about how to get better relations between parties in Ottawa.
Peters said he blames the current government. He said MPs tend to “forget who you serve. A change of the old guard would be nice.”
Bouteiller cited his leader Elizabeth May not being included in the national leaders’ debate as an issue, and said his party would form committees with all parties to work together.
Chong said the issue is “incredibly important” but said poor behaviour is not a result of the “actors in the system” but the way the party system has to follow the rules that govern them.
He cited a book by Jeffrey Simpson called The Friendly Dictatorship and noted it was written about the former Liberal government.
