MacInnis talks PPC policy at town hall in Border City

“We are supporting countries run by warlords that once you give them the money, you can’t qualify where it is going,” he said. “I want to be more responsible with your wallet.”

He stressed how the party will not be beholden to any special interests, unlike the mainstream parties. He said some groups have asked what the party will do for them specifically and MacInnis said the answer is simple; the same thing they do for everyone else.

“We are not giving anything special to anyone,” he said. “We are giving everyone equal rights, equal credence, equal ability to everyone.”

Earlier this week, PPC leader Maxime Bernier was invited to participate in both official leadership debates in October. He had previously been denied the chance to debate because the commission found his party did not meet some criteria for participation.

The Leaders’ Debates Commission, formed by the federal government to organize the two debates, said Bernier’s party now has a “legitimate” chance of electing members in more than one seat and therefore qualifies to participate, a decision that drew immediate objections from the Conservatives and New Democrats.

MacInnis is glad Bernier can speak as he hopes it will help parlay the party’s message to more voters.

He balked at the NDP’s accusation of Bernier giving rise to extremism, hate speech and white supremacy as the their reason for Bernier to be barred from the debates.

“When you, go to the racist, transphobic, bigot card without proof, you are showing your ignorance at that point,” MacInnis said.

Some worry the PPC will cause a vote split on the right and hand Justin Trudeau and the Liberals another four years in office. But to this, MacInnis said it is difficult to vote split when you offer something completely different.

“It’s burgers and fries and burgers and onion rings. The side doesn’t matter. We are doing something entirely different. We are offering fish and chips,” he said. “The only difference is our product is Canada, our vision for it and what we want it to look like in four years.”

MacInnis said the party is downplayed nationally and PPC voters are more plentiful than polls show. He points to fear over being attached to the party because of the incorrect, unsubstantiated labels that come with it.

He admits the party has a few followers who are a little more zealots than others but said every party has these. He said people always go after the right-wing extremists and not those on the left.

Ultimately, MacInnis encouraged voters to do their research and explore what each party is offering.

“If what we are offering is what you can get behind, great. If you are fully on board with that the Conservatives are offering, great. But if you are just voting for a guy because he is not the other guys, that is the plan,” he said. “Start looking into what everyone is offering a platform and decide if that is right for you.”

MacInnis faces incumbent Tory MP Rosemarie Falk, Liberal Larry Ingram, the NDP’s Marcella Pedersen and Green David Kim-Cragg in the Oct. 21 vote.

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tyler.marr@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JournoMarr

by Tyler Marr

MacInnis talks PPC policy at town hall in Border City

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