All-Candidates Meeting: First Two Questions

Here are my notes from the first two questions asked at Wednesday’s all-candidates meeting. Just in case you missed it, I also have an entry containing my notes on the opening statements.

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Question 1: Island Airport

[As a resident of the area] we are in the flight path leading to the Toronto Island airport. We expect that if it goes into the use planned by the Port Authority, we can expect 5 hours of flights and noise…[starts soapboxing]

[Someone in the audience yells “Ask the question!”]

[Taken slightly aback] What are your plans to close the Island airport and shut down the Port Authority?

Peggy Nash, New Democratic Party:

• Would prefer that it was a big park

   

• Liberals failed to deal with the issue

   

• Now the Port Authority is suing Toronto

Sam Bulte, Liberal Party:   

• I’m with the GTA caucus, and we were instrumental in killing the Island bridge [part of the plan for the airport]

   

• The federal government was not involved in this issue

   

• The Port Authority serves a purpose [wag in audience says: “Yeah, patronage!”

   

• Remain to be convince that a Port Authority hand-over would be a good thing

Lorne Gershuny, Marxist-Leninist Party:   

• We would consult with people in the neighbourhood for their opinions

Jurij Klufas, Conservative Party:   

• Just as Adscam was a “gift” to Quebec, the Port Authority fiasco was a “gift” to Toronto

   

• The bridge got cancelled, yet we have to pay $32 million [that’s what the Port Authority is suing the city for]

Terry Parker, Marijuana Party:   

• [unintelligible] don’t know issue [unintelligible] but will listen

Rob Rishchynski, Green Party:

• Alternatives exist: service Pearson [Toronto International Airport] with subway link

Question 2: Proportional Representation

The “first past the post” system of elections here leaves many small groups under-represented or locked out. What are your opinions on proportional representation?

Peggy Nash, New Democratic Party:   

• The current system skews democracy and emphasizes regionalism

   

• It is antiquated

   

• The NDP favours a “mixed proportional representation” system [as opposed to a completely proportional one] as recommended by the Canadian Bar Association

Sam Bulte, Liberal Party:

• That’s one of our promises

Lorner, Marxist-Leninist   

• Proportional representation would make things marginally better

   

• The party system is outdated, from a time when white males dominated

   

• Today we are dominated by parties

Jurij Klufas, Conservative Party

• Proportional representation: interesting

   

• Concerned that “the process is lengthy”

   

• Conservatives have proposed some intermin solutions:       
             
  • Independent director of public prosecution

             

  • Federal accountability act

         

     

Terry Parker, Marijuana Party:   

• Will have to discuss this one with the party

Rob Rishchynski, Green Party:   

• We support it

   

• We’re the only party that you can vote for knowing that we’ll do it

Sam Bulte, Liberal Party [rebutting]:

• It was part of our February 2004 Democratic Reform Action Plan!

   

• We had cross-country roundtables

   

• The provinces are looking into it

   

• There’s academic research into the issue

   

• We’re talking to people about it

   

• Proportional representation [in and of itself] is not always the answer — you need political will