Candidates debate the issues

Ken Johnston

It was a full house of listeners and people asking questions at the All Candidate’s Meeting in Stratton last Wednesday evening.
Each candidate was given three minutes to outline their party’s platform. Taking a different tact on things, the first one to do so was Russ Aegard of the Green Party who said, “I feel rather than putting a spin on another party’s ideas I feel I should compliment them when they have a good one.” Aegard said he is running because he wants a better life for his 20 month old daughter. He also noted that the party has changed. “We are no longer pot-smoking hippies... well I guess some are. However most of us are from all walks of life and we have candidates running in every riding.”
NDP hopeful John Rafferty said, “While others played games in parliament Jack Layton and the NDP got things done for people. I feel we can get things done especially for farming.” Rafferty spoke of how out of 11 Northern Ontario Ridings last election the NDP either won or finished second. He hopes this time around that constituents will send a block of NDP MPs to parliament to defend the interests of the region. “I am tired of Northern Ontario being taken for granted. We can create a force to be reckoned with.”
David Leskowski stuck to the Conservative Party platform and read from his preprinted flyer the five points party leader Stephen Harper has been pushing. We will clean up government...provide real tax relief...make streets safer...help parents with cost of childcare and work with provinces to reduce patient wait times.
Boshcoff, Liberal incumbent, spoke on his 17 month record noting that people in the riding were concerned that the west end of it would be forgotten after the election. “I did my best to be accessible, approachable and accountable. You know I act and act quickly.”
Questions from the floor
Agriculture
Rainy River Federation of Agriculture President Trish Neilson and Rainy River Cattlemen’s President Peter Spuzak asked the candidates how they felt about improving farmer’s bottom lines.
Boschoff said he would support maintaining existing Supply Management systems and has already begun working on getting a similar system for cattle producers.
Leskowski said he would try to do more to help farmers get more for what they sell. “We have been looking at agricultural opportunities with countries other than the US.
Rafferty said the NDP has always supported family farms and would continue to do so. He noted that the hardships farmers face when it comes to profitability, “Is not just a rural issue but an urban one. Farmers feed the cities.” He claimed that under Liberal rule farm debt has doubled and the country has lost 30,000 family farms.
Aegard said the Green Party supports local level economics and family farms fit that bill.
Amos Brielmann asked the candidates what their position is on the introduction of Terminator Seed in Canada. Terminator seed is genetically modified so it will only grow once and then not reproduce.
Leskowski said he would encourage farmers not to buy it and that he is personally against it as is Rafferty and Aegard. Aegard also said, “Terminator seed is a freak of nature.” Boshcoff said he does not know enough about the issue but would be happy to look into it.
Spuzak asked what they would do to get the local abattoir project clear of red tape and up and running.
Leskowski agreed there is too much red tape. He also suggested looking at a mobile abattoir.
Rafferty accused the Canadian Food Inspection Agency of being only interested in big meat packing projects. “I support an abattoir and CFIA needs to change.”
Boshcoff said he has supported it and has worked hard on it noting that the project, “Has been moved further along than ever before.”
Aegard said he supports local business.
Environment
Penny Shumaker of Rainy River asked what the candidates would do to prevent the proposal to divert water from the Rainy River/Lake of the Woods basin by US interests.
All spoke out against such a move, but none said what they would do.
Rick Neilson of Stratton asked if the candidates would support setting aside tracts of forest for future generations, rather than allowing logging to continue as it is.
Rafferty said he would and would also like to see for the first time ever a “Real Northern Ontario Wood Audit done.”
Aegard said, “The Earth can not support us taking and taking without a plan.” He feels such planning should be in the hands of local loggers not big companies, “Who are only interested in profits.”
Boshcoff said he would support such a plan.
Leskowski said he would not support the government getting to involved, “Government interferes too much in our lives.” He would support a privately driven management plan.
Jill Wilhite of Morson asked what the candidates views on Global Warming and water quality are.
Rafferty claimed his party is the only one that will ensure environmental protection. Aegard begged to differ noting that his party was founded on environmental principles.
Boshcoff said his background is in environmental studies and that he was known as “The Environmental Mayor” when he was mayor of Thunder Bay.
Leskowski spoke of his background in developing bio-gas digesters. “I believe in green house gas reduction in a practical way.”
Government
Ken Hyatt asked the candidates how their plan would be fiscally responsible.
Leskowski said that the Conservative platform has been costed out and to deliver all its promises will result in a $3.5 billion surplus each year.
Rafferty also said the same but did not say what their surplus would be only that there would be no corporate tax cuts.
Boshcoff said the Liberals have been fiscally responsible going from the highest amount of every dollar (38¢) down to 18¢ in the past 13 years due to good fiscal management.
Aegard said again that power should be in the people’s hands not big corporations. “Corporations used to contribute 48% of the taxes into the system, now only 11%.”
Amos Brielmann asked the candidates, and especially the Conservatives about their plans to expand the Canadian Military. Specifically he asked what Canada spends now on its military and what our rank is in sizes of armies.
Leskowski said he does not know what is spent presently only that his party would expand forces to 75,000 to ensure Canada can maintain its role as a peacekeeper abroad. He said that would amount to a $5.3 billion increase in military spending.
Rafferty agreed that Canada’s focus should be on peacekeeping. He did not know the amount being spent on it now.
Aegard said the Green Party does not believe in conquering or occupying countries but he likes the idea of helping others and feels the military is underfunded.
Boshcoff said the current budget for the Canadian military is $12.5 billion annually.
None knew the rank of the army with respect to the world. Brielmann said Canada is ranked 7th.
Richard Short of Rainy River was concerned that the political system in Canada does not allow MP’s to vote freely on behalf of their constituents. In other words they must follow the party line. He asked what candidates would do to rectify that situation.
Leskowski said his party will allow free votes on just about every issue except confidence motions like budgets.
Boshcoff said his party does allow free votes just not on every issue.
Rafferty said, “While I believe in the party’s platform I am not going to vote with the party on every issue and I have told Jack Layton that.”
Aegard said, “Chances of me getting elected are slim so it is hard to answer that.”
Corrina Schmutz who is not old enough to vote noted that she feels that her vote will not mean anything in the currently first past the post electoral system. She asked them what they would do to change that.
Both Rafferty and Aegard said they would support proportional representation.
Leskowski said he would like to see a “Single Transferrable Vote” which would see voters rank their choices.
Boshcoff said, “Proportional representation is an issue whose time is coming,” noting that declining voter turnout is evidence of that.
Other Issues
Frank Books of Rainy River referred to the recent sale of forest to the US by a Thunder Bay mill and asked what candidates would do about foreign ownership of our resources.
Leskowski just said it was a big wake up call.
Rafferty said both the feds and prov. dropped the ball on that sale. He said that his solution would be that if there are no local jobs tied to the sale then it should not go ahead.
Boshcoff said he would work towards establishing a “First right of refusal” policy and also to tie wood-rights to local jobs. “It is time to get involved.”
Rick Boersema asked what the candidates would do to get tough with the US on issues like the softwood lumber fiasco.
Leskowski said the Liberals are going to let the US keep part of the illegal duties collected on Canadian Softwood. “We won’t let that happen.” He also said the Conservatives will work on developing other markets (than the US) for Canadian wood.

Boshcoff said that it is not easy dealing with the US but noted that the Canadian government has done a good job at “Embarrassing them” and winning court cases on the issue.
Rafferty agreed the answer is to sell the wood to other countries and when the price of homes go way up due to a lack of supply in the US things will change on that front.
Wade Desserre of Pinewood asked what they would do about the high cost of energy.
Rafferty said the region has to decide if it wants to keep paying for Toronto or go its own way electrictywise.
Aegard said he believes in promoting green renewable energy.
Boshcoff said he has been working with communities like Emo on green energy projects like the biomass dump there.
Leskowski said he likes the way the US thinks. “If we produce excess energy the local grid should take it up.”
Ken Hyatt asked if the candidates had a child they could not raise if they would be comfortable letting a same sex couple raise it.
Both Aegard and Rafferty said yes.
Leskowski said no.
Boshcoff said, “I have no kids.” That prompted Hyatt to ask Boshcoff, “Are you gay?” That question sparked scorn from the moderator and other candidates saying, “That was not called for.” Boshcoff later said, “For the record, I am not gay.”
The last question of the night went to the moderator, Linda Armstrong, who asked what the candidates would do about the fact that there is no longer any way for people to get from Rainy River to Winnipeg or Fort Frances (i.e. cancellation of bus service). She asked if there is anything that can be done about it and if not suggested residents here should get isolation pay.
Boshcoff said he asked all the municipalities and reserves effected by the pull out if they were interested in teaming up to fight the cancellation. “Only three replied, two said yes and one said no should not interfere in private enterprise.”
Leskowski said he supports, “Modern, efficient transportation.”
Rafferty said that he feels the crux of the matter was the loss of freight shipments due to more strict border crossing regs. He thinks that there could be a way to seal the buses at one point and then open them at the other border point and get the freight moving again. (Editor’s Note: That is what was done before but was not good enough for US customs after 911 changed things).
Aegard noted that this riding is very vast and that people in the west end of the district should have their own MP.
Closing remarks
Leskowski said he will vote freely and “Stand up for the district.” He will oppose a northern recession, reopen rural schools.
Rafferty vowed to “jump in with both feet on any issue if elected to be your MP.” He wants to see more accountability in government and proportional representation.
Aegard said he would like to see more rural schools and noted that he came to the meeting not expecting to get elected but, “To spread ideas. I am disenfranchised with the mainstream politics.”
Boshcoff said, “We need an MP that champions rural causes. I can do a better job than any other candidate; drawing from all my prior (political) experience. This allowed me to start the job running after the last election and I hope you allow me to continue to do that. It has been an honour to be your representative.”