Candidates questioned at Rapid City debate

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Published on Wednesday, October 14, 2015

By Sheila Runions

Banner Staff

Rapid City and District Chamber of Commerce hosted a federal candidates meeting last Wednesday which also drew voters from Oak River, Cardale, Minnedosa and Neepawa. Chairs were set in the Legion hall and more were added as people flocked in to become better informed before marking their ballot on Monday, Oct. 19. Each of the five candidates was given two minutes for opening remarks and one minute to answer questions. Moderator Vern May of Minnedosa & Area Community Development Corporation rang the bell many times to indicate they had exceeded their time limit.

A panel of scrutineers ensured no duplicate questions were asked but they had a difficult task to select only 18 of the more than 100 written queries that were submitted. To close the evening chamber president Garry Jones said, “I apologize if your question wasn’t answered but our goal has been accomplished — you are more educated come election time.”

NDP’s Laverne Lewycky spoke of Tommy Douglas’ analogy from 70 years ago and how it’s time to elect mice to run Mouseland, no longer electing either a white or black cat. “After 150 years of Conservative or Liberal governments, it’s time to learn from Tommy’s parable. Mulcair is the way to make effective change. Elect a mouse to ‘squeak’ up for you in Parliament.”

Independent Inky Mark believes “Canada is at a crossroads as a country and a democracy. Who would guess our last nine years would be ruled by a dictator? We promote democracy but we’re left in the dark and that’s undemocratic. I believe governors should be for the people, not themselves and staying in Ottawa.”

Ray Piché said his most-asked question is why he is running as a Liberal candidate. “I love Canada but more to the point, it’s time for real change, not volleyed attacks. We have no intent of bringing back the long gun registry, and that’s just one example of the lies spread by the Conservatives. NDP are also doing the same attacks as their numbers are dropping at the polls. We are the only G7 country presently in recession; this is not the Canada I am proud of.”

Kate Storey is “running for Greens and for democracy. The Green Party is the only party which MPs run for you; if we as a riding want to vote against the party, I will vote for you. I also want to end confrontational politics. I have entered this race as a frustrated taxpayer. I believe Greens have the best policies on everything; we are poised to make history.”

Incumbent Robert Sopuck said, “My focus has been on the growth and development of rural communities. I am proud of our oil sands and our natural resources, which have helped lots of my constituents pay for their houses, education, etc. We have the finest economy in the world and no deficit. Eighty per cent of what we produce here is exported, which makes trade critical. Under the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement we have access to 800 million people with a GDP of $28 trillion.” 

Question: The first question was regarding government funding of any potential new recreational infrastructure grants; all were in favour of spending more.

Answers varied for a question regarding personal projects and how they plan to lobby for them. Sopuck is “specifically interested in the lake behind the dam [in Rapid City]. I am a fisheries biologist and we have a program I’ll work with to access funds to return your lake to what you once saw.”

Lewycky is concerned that Riding Mountain National Park (RMNP) “is reduced to three seasons, not four; this strikes a chord with people in all our towns.”

Mark spoke of nothing specific, only reminded the crowd that with “eight years in municipal politics and 13 years as MP, my role is to work with everyone and that will continue as it did before, if I am elected.”

“RMNP is also on my list of priorities,” said Piché. “All local projects need partnerships. If elected, my leader will meet with provincial and territorial leaders within 100 days; we cannot ignore our municipal or provincial leaders. I would make sure our leader keeps that promise.”

Storey wants “to bring people back to rural life by creating jobs. We have seen a loss of jobs for youth; we want to reinvigorate climate-friendly projects to renovate homes to save money and not waste energy. There’s a whole list of projects to bring people back to small communities.”

They were asked how their goals will directly impact the people in the room.

Piché wants us to “really understand each other; I’d be very, very happy to bring local issues to Ottawa.”

Lewycky has “committed to have four zones of Local Advisory Committees to voice their concerns on a regular basis and have it fed up to the NDP government so we’re pro-active.”

Mark said, “Real democracy starts at the bottom; it’s time to change the top and how MPs do business. I was the only Conservative MP who voted against Harper — twice!”

Storey’s goal is to “finish the job Tommy Douglas started” and have home, dental and mental care “under the health plan. We will improve it and make it universal on all aspects.”

Sopuck wants “more and better infrastructure. When the regulatory burden is reduced, you enhance trade. Water management and flood control are important, as are income-splitting, seniors and child benefits.”

They were also asked what rural “problems” they consider most pressing.

Lewycky would implement a “rural stay option. We will work on education and health care, but we must support agriculture. We have lost 1,200 research inspectors, PFRA farms, CWB; we need to re-energize research in the ag sector to make a difference.”

Mark basically agreed when he said, “All farm support programs have been killed by Harper and TPP will only make it worse as all marketing boards are gone. If TPP is so good, why did China opt out? Our trade with these TPP countries is too small.”

Storey believes “red tape is not a difficulty, but we need smart regulations. There are job issues that face rural inhabitants; we’d start a re-orientation program.”

Sopuck also sees the “need for more jobs and economic growth through access to trade. TPP is supported by Beef Canada, Canola Council, Canadian business owners, the pork industry…. these members are our friends and neighbours, telling us better trade is critical.”

Piché wants to “spend money to grow. Liberals promise infrastructure money to create jobs and get our young people to stay in agriculture, which is okay, but we need small trade too; we need to train them and that’s how they stay [in rural areas] — if jobs are here.”

Someone wanted to know how the candidates would support small businesses which are developing in the Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa riding, which at 56,000 square miles, is one of the largest ridings in Manitoba.

“No one says we don’t need trade,”said Mark,” But we want fair trade. Norway and the North Sea are built on petro money and they tax on every barrel, up to $20. Harper charges our cartel $4 — he gives it away.”

“Green is first to prioritize small business; it’s 70 per cent of our country. We want to decrease small business tax and increase corporate tax. We also have to consider the impacts of federal legislation on small businesses; what works for big corporations many not work for small businesses.”

“The Liberal platform is to reduce business tax and reduce employment insurance premiums for small businesses. We will invest in green energy and work with them in renewal energy. Fossil fuel has been good but it will not be here forever; we need to take all our eggs out of one basket.”

“Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. NDP will reduce the small business tax and stand against TPP; how much of TPP will go to national corporations, from the sowing seed to the exports?”

Sopuck defended his government’s implementation of TPP. “To denigrate trade is to denigrate communities. Canadian Federation of Independent Business, which is the voice for small businesses, has endorsed ALL our policies and programs.”

Regarding the protection of Canada Post/home delivery/privatization all agreed to the importance of keeping all the offices in the constituency. Sopuck informed the crowd that when home delivery was eliminated, it only affected Dauphin but he found one thing ironic, “every person who contacted my office with their negativity, all complaints came by email!” 

Mark was the last to speak to this matter and he “disagreed with Bob” and his statements that eliminating home delivery only affected Dauphin. Mark has “dropped into post offices this summer and I’ve talked to postmasters and heard of cuts in time and salary. I see it as a rural culture, like schools or elevators. People gather there to talk and socialize; we lose a big element if we shut down post offices.”

Storey literally jumped at the chance to answer a question regarding the benefits of refining oil in Canada as it would create jobs and be of lower risk to the environment. “Yes, it’s much safer to refine it closer to where it’s mined; it makes economic sense to add value to our resources here. Trade is good, but let’s have it sensible.”

Piché thinks it would be “great to demand they refine our product here but we would need to work hand-in-hand with corporations and ALL levels of government to eliminate corporate greed.”

Sopuck said Canada “produces way more than we would ever need. We process and refine what we can; with canola we process 30 per cent because that’s all we use. In terms of safety, we have, by and large, safe lines in Canada.”

Mark reiterated a previous statement that oil is “given away at $4 a barrel, and we export over two million barrels a day. Harper is a lobbyist for multi-national companies.”

Lewycky knows it’s “very important to have a shift in culture mentality, to not export but refine it here. We’re disproportionally disadvantaged; in the auto sector for example, the US has given them 25 years to adapt; we have to do it in five years. We need to control our destiny.”

Although one minute is relatively quick, not one candidate answered a simple question with a simple number. The question was “To what degree should federal politics control government-sponsored scientific research?” One would think each would say zero per cent, 10 per cent, 100 per cent,  and move on, but each took their minute or more to bash Prime Minister Stephen Harper and how he “muzzled scientists,” “dictated reports” or is “anti-science.” Sopuck asked if “unqualified bureaucrats should make comments? We comment on policy [not research].”

Each spoke eloquently when enquired how they would “enhance the constituency’s representation in Ottawa.”

Piché would “come to any town hall meeting and listen to concerns. I would be glad and proud to bring them to Ottawa; I will come back and tell you how I made out.”

Lewycky has had “at least 40 meetings with the 37 councils in our constituency in the last two months. If I’m busy in other meetings, I would even Skype with them, IF we ever get high-speed Internet!”

If Mark has the “honour of being re-elected, I will always put you first. I’ll go to the end of the earth to help you, as I did for 13 years as your MP. I’ll do my darnedest to deal with it person-to-person, as I did before.”

“Green Party organizes town halls and we do referendums so if there’s a divisive issue, yes, it’s expensive, but it’s important to find out how [divisive]. I am quite prepared, if the riding wants it, to vote against Elizabeth [Mae, leader]. I’ve disagreed with her before — not that I’ve won — but I’ve done it.”

Sopuck has spent 135 days in Ottawa yet has still managed 843 meetings in 57 communities during his time in office; he knows an MP has to be “effective. Because I was a trusted member of the Stephen Harper government, I got more than 10 per cent of the national parks budget of infrastructure grants for Hwy. 10 through RMNP.”

They were asked to address senior housing in small towns.

Lewycky reiterated the “rural-stay option. We need to help with infrastructure and ensure we have senior care, health care, pharmacare and Mulcair!”

Mark thinks senior housing is “only one element. I know seniors who have a tough time to live in their own homes because of income; raising Old Age Security (OAS) to satisfy big multi-national employers was ridiculous. You work your whole life to make a pension, so why are you taxed on it?”

Sopuck replied, “Most pension plans —senior income — is dependent on natural resource industries. Their secure income is often dependent on the energy companies my opponents were critical of. But back to the question, I will eagerly look for proposals to take forward to Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation.”

Piché agreed with Mark: “We need more than housing. Part of the money Liberals have promised is to retire with dignity. The Harper government brought OAS to 67; we’ll bring it back to 65 and index some of it. Infrastructure money is put aside to go toward that, right away; we won’t wait four or five years. ”

Storey believes, “Pension plans are divesting from oil sands. We’ll invest $1 billion into affordable housing and double OAS for low income seniors to have more disposable income to afford a house in the first place.”

Then it was time to hear how each person/party planned to pay for all these promises.

Piché admitted the “liberal platform includes a modest deficit, but the time to do that is now as interest rates are at two per cent. We have a fully-costed platform; if you make more than $210,000 per year, we’re going to ask those one per cent to pay more. How ironic is it that they [Conservatives] balanced the budget in an election year?”

Mark thought similarly when he said, “Harper held back $8.6 billion in his budget to get it balanced. We’ve had a trade deficit every year he was in power; he’s added $124 billion to our debt. Coming from a government whose leader has nine years of deficit is a joke.”

As Lewycky mentioned an old politician in Tommy Douglas, he mentioned another when “Trudeau voted against large corporate tax. NDP will raise corporate tax, we’ll not double tax-free savings accounts (TFSA), we’ll close the stock option loop holes so CEOs with six-digit incomes get taxed.”

Storey’s Greens will “operate on fiscal responsibility and balanced budgets” and cited an example of $1.6 billion for the tar sands yet $1.2 billion will be enough for dental benefits for low income children. “We’ll take that from oil for kids for example. We’re based on taxing what we don’t want; marijuana is bad, so legalize it so we can tax it.”

Sopuck said “All I hear from my colleagues is spend, spend, spend. You cannot spend yourself rich. You don’t run credit cards to the limit. We manage taxes so well we’ve reduced the GST, introduced income splitting, a senior reduction in Registered Retirement Income Fund, TFSAs…”

Someone wanted to know when licensed day cares will receive “appropriate” government funding.

Lewycky suggested a successful program in Quebec may work here in that “If parents fulfill their careers and make good incomes, to be taxed is fair to pay for the child care.”

Greens would “seriously look at guaranteed annual income” and have “budgeted $500 million more for daycare.”

Piché thinks, “Part of the dialogue needs to start with the provinces and territories in that 100-day meeting. We’d work with them to invest in what they started and are doing; we’ll work with leaders to better understand. Our present government doesn’t talk with leaders.”

Sopuck suggested these plans would “affect 350,000 Canadians, we’re helping 4.5 million kids. And it’s not true that if you legalize marijuana…. has trade in illicit cigarettes stopped? No, it’s exploded. Legalizing marijuana is a very bad idea.”

“Child care and culture changes today have two working parents to make ends meet,” said Mark. “This idea of giving cash for kids has shown to be $13 per month benefit as they forgot to be told it’s taxed. The way we deal with our children is what forms our society of the future, so we better take care of them.”

Question: Over the past several years, federal funding has been significantly cut for employment service officers. If elected, how does your party plan to ensure there is adequate funding to provide vital services to those who are unemployed?

Lewycky: Reinstate federal employment programs.

Storey: Cuts to unemployment insurance need to be restored.

Sopuck: Our youth employment program, not for the disabled or those who can’t work, but there is a labour shortage.

Piché: We should provide services to citizens; we have to offer employment and move forward.

Mark: Government is there to help in good times and bad times. We need to change our attitude in bureaucracy, not put road blocks in the way.