Candidates for the riding of South Shore St.Margaret’s met for a debate last night in Bridgewater.
The event, hosted by the town’s Chamber of Commerce was a tame affair as participants weren’t given the chance to respond to each other’s answers.
Rob Monk with the People’s Party of Canada provoked one of the night’s most heated responses when he laid out his party’s economic vision.
“The People’s Party will balance the budget in two years. You ask what we’ll cut, I’ll give you a few just to start. Cut the U.N., cut the CBC and cut foreign funding.”
The candidates each explained their positions on home-ownership, health care, the environment, immigration and supports for small business.
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At the end of the night, members outside of the Conservative and Liberal parties each took turns to ask voters not to vote strategically, including the Green Party’s Thomas Trappenberg.
“If you are not voting what you believe in, this is denying democracy. You have to have the courage, to show with your vote, where we have to go.”
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Seven of the nine people vying to be the area MP took part in the event including: Steven Foster – Independant, Jessika Hepburn – NDP, Bernadette Jordan – Liberal, Robert Monk – PPC, Rick Perkins – Conservative, Kevin Schulthies – Christian Heritage Party, and Thomas Trappenburg – Green Party.
The standing-room only crowd at the debate had a lot to digest.
Here’s some of what they had to say.
“I came here stuck between two parties. I was slightly leaning towards one and now I’m more stuck in the middle again. I was slightly swayed just by seeing some of the representatives face-to-face and learning more about them and what their positions are.” – Keegan, Hebb’s Cross
“Nothing really new, except the urgency maybe, and this isn’t new, but the urgency that we have to recognize our environment as a top priority. And any party that doesn’t, I think they’re a little bit behind.” – Alan, Hebb’s Cross
“You can come up with all the great ideas, but if you don’t have the money – the people are the ones you get the money from, and when we don’t have it, what’re they going to do then? You can only go in so much debt.” – Carolyn, Brooklyn
“I think it was very informative. It was very interesting how they can answer questions, or not answer questions and still talk their amount of time.” – Deanna, Upper LaHave
“Everybody’s all hyped up over climate change. Climate’s always changed, it will always change. We need to calm down and relax and talk about things that are actually going to affect the future like money that the young people today are not going to be able to pay back.” -Alice, Spectacle Lakes
“It’s great to know, actually know some of the people who are going to represent us, we hope.” – Ann, West Dublin
“Nobody raised the question of the whole advertising industry and culture which is encouraging us to use more and more stuff, to throw more and more stuff away and just grind on.” – Jim, West Dublin
CKBW listeners will have a chance to hear the candidates live on-air for a debate October 11 between 9:00am and 11:00 am.
Reported by: Ed Halverson
Twitter: @edwardhalverson
E-mail: halverson.ed@radioabl.ca
