Crime, balanced budget and climate change among topics at candidates’ forum

When asked how to tackle climate change without hurting the local economy if more oil and gas work is phased out, candidates offered a variety of proposals.

Falk said the Conservatives “champion our oil and gas workers” and returned to her party’s three-pronged approach to fight climate change. She said the government needs to focus on what companies and farmers are already doing for the environment.

“We need to be investing in people so they can continue innovating and inventing, so we can reduce emissions and … take that globally and sell it to countries that can afford it and are the largest polluters of greenhouse gas emissions in the world,” she said.

On climate, Pedersen spoke about a type of transition approach and retraining workers since more jobs will be created with green energy to help make up for potential job losses.

Ingram said planting three billion trees over the next five years would keep many people employed to fill a gap. He said people were supposed to get paid for carbon-retention, by implementing practices such as the zero-till method in agricultural practises, but said so far this hasn’t happened yet.

MacInnis said the People’s Party doesn’t plan for any type of phase-out plan for the oil field, adding that instead it wants to have more pipelines built since it is “the safest way to move oil and is environmentally sound.”

Candidates also fielded a question on how they would deal with addictions issues impacting Indigenous communities in particular.

Falk said “addictions don’t discriminate,” adding that everyone can be affected. She talked about how federal health and social transfer payments must continue to flow to provinces to help deal with the need.

Ingram discussed the Liberal government’s support for First Nation projects to advance reconciliation efforts to help make a positive difference, such as the recent Chief Poundmaker Exoneration and the new Thunderchild First Nation wellness centre that will help the community and promote health.

Pedersen pointed to the need to address the root causes of addiction, which is often “poverty, racism, hopelessness and unworthiness.” She said people need good jobs and affordable housing, adding that the NDP plan looks after “mental health from head to toe.” She added “addictions are caused by pain. We have done a lot of harm to our First Nation people over the last 100 years …. So we are responsible.”

MacInnis said the People’s Party wants to make sure that provinces that make of their medical services better get better equalization payments to put more money into the program, regardless of whether it is Indigenous or other groups the “service should be available.”

In dealing with crime, Pedersen said poverty and unemployment causes crime. She supports bridging communities. “We have to create a climate of respect for all peoples…You are not going to solve crime by increasing policing and more guns.”

Falk said crime is a complex social issue. She also pointed to having stronger background checks for people applying for gun licences as part of the party’s plan. She said the Conservatives also plan to invest funding for youth gang prevention to keep young people out of gangs.

MacInnis said his party wants rural people to be able to protect themselves and their property. “We have been number one for far too long,” he said of North Battleford’s crime reputation.

Ingram spoke of the RCMP’s work in dealing with crime. He mentioned federal funding through the provincial government for health and welfare has been “going up steadily the last few years” to help the community. “We have a lot more people on the beat here in North Battleford,” Ingram added.

On the matter of balancing the federal budget, Falk said a Scheer government will balance the budget within five years, without cutting any social programs. Ingram said the Liberals will balance it, saying: “we are on track and we are doing well.” He added how there are more people working in Saskatchewan today than ever before. MacInnis said the People’s Party plans to balance the budget within two years “and get it done.” For Pedersen, the NDP will balance the budget within four years however she said it’s also “about choices and priorities” to meet people’s needs.

When speaking on how parties will raise funds for new social programs, Pedersen said it doesn’t take much to pay for pharmacare.

To address businesses’ difficulty in recruiting people to work in the area, candidates proposed various plans. Pedersen said the focus needs to be on stimulating the economy by developing more green jobs as an incentive. Falk said she has met with local community leaders to determine the needs and find ways to reduce crime to make the area more attractive. From Ingram’s point of view, immigration and training people would help fill jobs to fill the gap. MacInnis said it’s important to employ more local people.

“We need to get the jobs back up in the oil-field,… and also make sure we can employ as many Canadians as possible,” MacInnis said.

Candidates addressed several Canadian Chamber of Commerce priorities for what is called the Vote Prosperity campaign to create jobs, help communities grow and promote small business.

On growing small business, MacInnis said his party wants to alleviate inter-provincial trade barriers and make running a small business easier by lowering taxes on business.

Ingram spoke on the benefits of pharmacare and said it would “make sense to every one of us to be able to say we all should have the same price of drugs across the board.” He said it’s important to build on the strengths of the existing system without reducing or replacing the coverage people already have.

Pedersen discussed the benefits of accessing new markets around the world and eliminating trade barriers in Canada. She said the deteriorating relationship between China and Canada is a concern and “must be resolved.” She added the NDP plan to streamline access to government export services and make it simpler to break into the foreign markets.

Falk talked about the importance of introducing a regulatory system to benefit everyone including businesses. She said Conservative leader Andrew Scheer plans to move to a free inter-provincial trade system to remove barriers. “Conservatives understand we need to remove barriers to prosperity by working collaboratively with Indigenous leaders and groups and communities,” Falk said. She added it’s also essential to remove the red tape which prevents work from getting done.

The federal election is Oct. 21.

—

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow

by Angela Brown

Crime, balanced budget and climate change among topics at candidates’ forum

What's Trending