It was a night where the federal candidates in Perth-Wellington had a chance to voice their views.
The Stratford and District Chamber of Commerce held their Perth-Wellington Federal Candidates Debate in Stratford Thursday in front of nearly a full crowd at city hall.
Conservative John Nater, Liberal Pirie Mitchell, Green Collan Simmons, People’s Parties Roger Fuhr, NDP’s Geoff Krauter the Christian Heritage Party’s Irma DeVries were all in attendance.
Among the topics were discussed included transportation and employment, reinvigorating the auto industry and the federal deficit.
Here’s what the candidates had to say on the big three issues:
Addressing the issues of transportation and employment in Perth-Wellington:
Irma DeVries: “Restrict international investors in buying homes and land in Canada.”
Roger Fuhr: “A lack of investment in transportation is one of the key problems.”
Geoff Krauter: “The NDP has made it a priority to invest in zero-emission public transportation.”
Pirie Mitchell: “Our big problem is getting enough people here.”
John Nater: “The challenge is partnering with our municipalities.”
Collan Simmons: “A lot of employment issues are related to the availability of workers.”
Reinvigorating the auto industry:
Irma DeVries: “The government needs to get out of the red tape” including funding the auto industry.
Roger Fuhr: “We’re going to lower the corporate income tax rate.”
Collan Simmons: “The auto industry has failed to adapt to electric cars.”
John Nater: Businesses are “not only competing against other businesses” but they are “competing against themselves because of (franchise) businesses in other cities.”
Pirie Mitchell: “We are competing against other nations which have cheaper labour.”
Geoff Krauter: “We are going to develop a strategy to put more zero-emission vehicles on the road.”
Federal deficit:
John Nater: “There’s not a lot left at the end of the month, (people) are getting by but they are not getting ahead” we will “make sure we have more money in people’s pockets.”
Pirie Mitchell: “The Conservatives are supposed to be the party of fiscal restraint but it hasn’t proven that.”
Geoff Krauter: “We are really talking about choices and priorities.”
Roger Fuhr: “Makes me ill that I’m going to lay the burden of debt on my grandchildren.”
Irma DeVries: “Crying shame the way past governments have” treated “future generations.”
Collan Simmons: “We can’t balance the budget on the backs of the poorest people” we “should go after the wealthy.”
