NOTES FROM CANDIDATES’ MEETING
(video coming soon)
May 28, 2018, Wilmot Recreation Complex
These notes are transcribed from notes taken at the meeting on flip charts,
curtesy of Nith Valley Ecooboosters
Democratic reform
• Strategic voting – No…
• My vote doesn’t count
• Gender equality
• Lying media re: proportional representation
• Equal representation a human right?
• How to implement PR when governments don’t like it
• Participatory democracy – so far governments aren’t interested
Health care
Joe Gowing, Liberal
• Efficiencies. Weekends; outpatient services
• Invest in homecare
• Shortage of PSWs; Long term care pays better than homecare
• Homecare often private corporations, using different pay scale than public
• Balance needs; technology available, costs
• Fiscal responsibilities
• Failures of care and oversight in long term care
• We need dental care. Share the cost; role of government here
• Pharmacare universal
• Currently some drugs are excluded
Kelly Dick, NDP
• Universal pharmacare = bulk buying, better pricing, not age limit, exclusion
• Now Trillium Fund (funded by ON Lottery) will pay a large portion. Will these funds still be available, where are the funds coming from?
• Mental health is not covered
• More mental health beds, staff
• Long term care: long waiting lists, no choice of facilities
• Retirement (private) homes are excluding people without the funds to pay $1000’s per month
• Privatization by stealth (P3)
• We need reform of health care
• Hospitals may lack access to beds, due to cuts in funding for staff
• P3 hospitals private / public more expensive, taking funding
• Stop P3 partnerships, stop 2 tier health care
• How much will that cost?
Bob Jonkman, Green
• Against privatization of health care, electricity, water
• Cost of OHIP is greater than is necessary because of private diagnostic clinics
• Expand OHIP to cover mental health, pharmacare
• Concerns about the management of front line staff; takes away initiative. Cut backs to staffing = staff burnout of nurses, PSWs
Environment
• High cost of FIT (Feed in Tariff)
• Needed reserve for nuclear power (not flexible)
• Giving away power for free
• Add storage for excess??
• Don’t refurbish Darlington / Pickering
• Water energy systems = hydro
• Connect to Quebec hydro and Manitoba
• NDP platform: wind, solar, water
• Expand smaller hydro projects
• Need increased price on carbon
• Controversy of FIT: initially price set when the price of oil was higher, also a shortage of supply. Now less electricity used. Price paid has to be scaled back. No new contracts for FIT
• What price do we want to pay for reliable energy?
• Who do we want managing power: are politicians the most knowledgeable?
• Balance needed
• What do rebates mean to different income levels?
• What is PC environmental policy? “Let people decide” – from meeting last week
• What about landfills – what happens in 15 years?
• Protection of wetlands, greenbelt, farm lands
• True cost of hybrid/electric vehicles?
• More public transit needed esp. between cities
• Liberals: Goal to link rural areas and cities; investments in high speed rail (HSR), 2 way GO
• Concerns about HSR cutting off roads and farms. Community consultations coming after terms of reference set; options for routes
• Communication is lacking in communities
• Cap and trade: green energy initiatives and infrastructure. List on ON government website. $1.9 billion collected and allocated
• What does 10 cent reduction in gas tax mean
• Commitment to cooperation?
• Pick the right people to control leaders
• Can MPPs vote for their constituents rather than along party lines?
• Packaging – need legislation to control – no Liberal policy at this point
Joe Gowing, Liberal:
• Need to copy existing programs in other countries
• Environment #2 on Liberal priorities, #1 is health care, #3 is education
• Cut packaging – helps with recycling and landfills
• Water taking and plastic water bottles
• Need leadership – no water bottles in government buildings; education; legislation
• What are Liberals doing to help agricultural sector? – investing in relief funds; helping farmers sequester carbon
• Food security and climate change impact fund – no details as yet, Joe will check
Kelly Dick, NDP:
• Protecting water; Nestle pumping ++ water, contracts expired. NDP will stop this. Dealing with corporations – fines, laws
• Agriculture – great growing area; strict rules re: building, protecting farm lands
• Work with local politicians and farmers
• Indigenous consultations
• High Speed Rail (HSR) – handled poorly; not a done deal; effects on land, water; stake holders not consulted
• Believe transit is a no brainer – needed for economy; looking at all kinds; listen to the people
• 2 Way GO transit
• Freedom for politicians to vote their conscience
• How can we incentivize more work from home? – helps with transportation
• Cap & trade? 25% to lower income communities, or carbon tax refunds to lower income
• Gas, broadband to rural areas
• Everybody in the province to pay the same delivery fee for hydro
Other topics:
• How long will all parties be running a deficit – when will there be a balanced budget?
• Budget – balanced budget by 2024; fiscally responsible
• Is “taxation” a bad word? Too high? It is necessary in civilized society. Needs to be done in the right way.
Bob Jonkman, Green:
• Alternative sources of money eg. Companies pay royalties for certain benefits
• Housing Strategy – tiny homes, infill; affordable housing, housing strategy
• Monopoly” items should not be privatized: water, transport, health care, energy
• Lack of compassion in servies
• Would spend less “repairing” health conditions if the issues were taken care of earlier
• Support for families / individuals – child care, education, health and mental health; ability to make ends meet
• Accountability – ministries need to communicate with each other
• Health care, long term care
• Transportation planning – affecting rural areas; HSR, GO Train
• Pharmacare- include dental, vision, mental health support
• Child care – hard to participate fully when not supported; who gets it? How much?
• Are we willing to pay more taxes for services?
• “Upstream” thinking – invest early for future change
• We need to ask more of our representatives
Joe Gowing, Liberal:
• Education - smaller class sizes, educational assistance, balancing the needs in the classroom, investing in “therapeutic” help
• Better control of funds
• Hydro One partially privatized, borrowed against equity; not selling more (not allowed to) and is majority shareholder; used funds to pay down hydro debt
• Is standardized testing worthwhile? – funds used, etc.
• Effective teaching – review annually
• Funding of schools – Catholic, private
• Curriculum questions – go back to basics, vs recognizing that today is a different world eg. cyberbullying.
