More Questions from the All-Candidates Meeting

Sorry it took so long, but here’s more from the All-Candidates Meeting. If you missed the other installments:

• All-Candidates Meeting: Opening Statements
• All-Candidates Meeting: First Two Questions

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Question 3: The “Psychotropic Drugs” Question

“There’s no right answer to this question,” said the guy who was next in line, “but I’m just as interested in the way you answer it.” The question was about psychotropic medication — there’s a loophole in the law where people can prescribe psychotropic drugs to children. What would you do to fix that loophole?

Sam Bulte, Liberal Party

• The public health agency should be able to help

   

• Will establish a mental health commission

   

• Will also hold dialogues cross-country

Jurij Klufas, Conservative Party   

• I’m not in favour of commissions

   

• I helped introduce Steven Fletcher, who’s likely to be Minsiter of Health — I’d bring the issue to him

Peggy Nash, New Democratic Party   

• That’s crazy!

   

• The Ministry of Health should be able to close this loophole

Terry Parker, Marijuana Party   

• (A lot of indignant mumbling) full disclosure commission

   

• My notes from this point read: “mumble mumble mumble”

Rob Rischinsky, Green Party   

• I’d establish a commission to reduce the use of psychotropic drugs

   

• We have to recognize that there are alternative treatments

Question 4: Toronto the ATM

Toronto sends a lot of money to Ottawa — in fact, $13 billion more goes out of the city than into it. Would you support the return of one-quarter of that money? It could go to transit, education, social services and the environment

Sam Bulte, Liberal Party   

• There’s a full GST rebate for municipalities

   

• Money from the gas tax goes to cities

   

• We’ve given Toronto a bonus for the TTC’s ridership, providing $350 million in partnership with the city and provincial governments

Peggy Nash, New Democratic Party   

• We need equalization

   

• The Liberals implemented the gas tax because of pressure from the NDP

   

• The NDP is the champion of cities

Terry Parker, Marijuana Party   

• Legalizing marijuana will lead to tax revenues which will provide the city with money

Rob Rishchynski, Greeen Party   

• We propose a “Green tax shift” — where personal incomes taxes are reduced to 0 while taxes on pollution and waste are increased

   

• We would transfer tax authority to the local level

Lorne Gershuny, Marxist-Leninist Party   

• One-quarter of tax goes to service the debt

   

• We would propose a moratorium on payment of the debt

   

• Joey’s note: Holy crap, this is one of those rare moments where you’ll see a member of the Marxist-Leninist party and my staunch conservative blogger pal David Janes in agreement!

Jurij Klufas, Conservative Party

• We’ll meet with Mayor Miller and the local Business Improvement Areas

   

• We understand the issues and will introduce initiatives

Question 5: One from the Kids

At this point, they opened the floor to the local kids who were in attendance. The first one: How would you decrease child poverty in Canada?

Peggy Nash, New Democratic Party   

• Poverty has many causes:
  • Lack of affordable housing

         

  • Low minimum wage

         

  • Lack of childcare

         

   

• We also need program to assist new Canadians to give them assistance in settling in; credentials

Terry Parker, Marijuana Party   

• mumble mumble social assistance mumble mumble revenues from legal marijuana mumble mumble

Rob Rishchynski, Greeen Party

• There are ways to solve child poverty:
  • Pay people a living wage

         

  • Provide benefits and child tax credits for people with children

         

  • Provide daycare

        

Sam Bulte, Liberal Party

• We’ve done a lot — there’s the Liberal child tax benefit that put money directly in the hands of families

   

• I agree with Peggy Nash — combating poverty requires a holistic approach

Lorne Gershuny, Marxist-Leninist Party   

• It’s telling that a young person asked this question — young people are always most concerned about the future

   

• Canada has vast resources, skills and technology

   

• We can provide for everyone — it’s just that the allocation of wealth isn’t even

   

• We have to stop paying the rich

  

Jurij Klufas, Conservative Party

• Poverty is reflective of the lack of posterity

   

• Prosperity leads to generosity

   

• We would fight poverty with
  • Education

         

  • Small business opportunities

         

  • Apprenticeship programs

         

     

Question 6: Another from the Kids

How is the government going to invest in our future?

Sam Bulte, Liberal Party 

• Education is the key to prosperity

   

• Access Canada

   

• 50/50 program provides up to $3000 of tuition

   

• We need money for measures to help students graduate

Rob Rishchynski, Greeen Party   

• We will work with the provinces to decrease tuition

   

• Paying off debts can cripple someone just out of school — loan paybacks should be scaled to match the income from a first job

   

• We believe that there should be apprenticeship programs and a mentorship network to help people just out of school build the skills they need

Lorne Gershuny   

• The aim of government should be to eliminate tuition fees

   

• Anyone with the motivation and ability should be able to get an education

Jurij Klufas, Conservative Party   

• We need to encourage people to get into skilled trades

   

• More programs for apprentices

   

• More small business incentives

Peggy Nash, New Democratic Party   

• We need to reverse cuts to post-secondary education

   

• Need to provide stable long-term funding

   

• Need to establish a program of life-long learning

   

• Need to create a national apprenticeship program

Terry Parker, Marijuana Party   

• Pass