Candidates discuss taxation, jobs, supporting the elderly

By Dan Schwab – April 20, 2011

The first-ever debate for local candidates running in the upcoming federal election attracted about 60 people to the Knights of Columbus Hall in McGregor, who heard a mix of mudslinging and political rhetoric for almost two hours.

Conservative Party candidate Jeff Watson, Liberal Party candidate Nelson Santos, Green Party candidate Cora Carriveau and NDP candidate Taras Natyshak answered questions from an audience gathered in McGregor last week during an all-candidates’ debate. 

The audience consisted of mainly political party supporters of one colour or another, who lobbed softball questions at their candidate or tried to accuse another of misconduct during the question and answer period.

Incumbent Jeff Watson told the crowd the only way to secure economic recovery for Canada and Essex County was to vote in a Conservative majority government.

“The Harper Conservatives led this region through the great recession, helping to save Ford engine plant, Chrysler and General Motors and 500,000 auto jobs in Ontario,” Watson said in his opening remarks. “Still, there is more to do to secure our economic recovery. Instead, the Liberals and the NDP forced this unnecessary election, the fourth in seven years, because of their united ambition for power. They do so by rejecting nearly 20 measures in our budget they said they would support. They forced an election costing $300 million – the same amount we committed toward immediately increasing the guaranteed income supplement for our poorest seniors.”

Nelson Santos, the current Kingsville mayor and former warden of Essex County, now a Liberal candidate, promised his party would freeze corporate tax rates to last year’s level, which would allow more dollars to be put into the hands of families.

“There are a lot more jobs that have been lost than jobs that have been gained since the recession hit,” he said. He added that the Liberals would invest $700 million into the G.I.S. program, “which will ensure low-income seniors are living above the poverty line, not below.”

Taras Natyshak, the NDP candidate in his third federal election bid, said his party would institute “a modest increase over seven years to double the Canada Pension Plan” and raise corporate income taxes for pharmaceutical companies, big banks and the country’s major insurance companies.

Natyshak said there is a “looming pension crisis,” and added, “This region is still in a crisis. Our unemployment rates are the highest in the country. Food bank usage is at an all-time level. People are finding it harder and harder to get by.”

Green Party candidate Cora Carriveau, who has been running a very low-profile campaign, said her party believes Canadian families should be paying lower income taxes and the government needs to stop providing corporate tax cuts.

“We want to even the playing field for small local businesses,” Carriveau said.

Other Green Party priorities include agricultural concerns such as ensuring food security and promoting pesticide-free organic production, she said.

A variety of questions came from the audience, including those on two-tiered health care, support for people with disabilities and taxation.

Watson was forced on the defensive after one question from former provincial NDP candidate John Grima accused the Harper Conservatives of being corrupt, with the party misappropriating funds during last summer’s G8 Summit.

Another audience member accused Santos of breaking promises by running in the last municipal election for mayor and the current federal election as a Liberal candidate.

Watson joined in on the accusation by quoting fromm a Windsor Star newspaper article from March 4, 2010, which quotes Santos saying he is committed to a full-term as mayor.

“It does cast doubt on his credibility,” Watson said.

Santos said he made it clear to Kingsville voters that he intended on running as a candidate for the Liberal Party if an election was called.

Natyshak tried to put an end to the mudslinging by asking the audience to focus on “issues that really matter – health care, environment and jobs.”

In their closing remarks, the candidates mainly kept to towing the party line.

“Consider our record in this region,” Watson said. “Saving automotive plants from bankruptcy, increasing our ongoing commitment to the Detroit River International Crossing Project and we have a low tax plan.”

Santos said, “The key principle for me is to bring people together. It’s time to bridge a stronger relationship with federal, provincial and municipal partners.”

Natyshak said the hundreds of millions of dollars spent on this election is money well spent and that he’s heard while campaigning that “Canadians want and need our government to work together. They need us to start to work together in their interests.”

Carriveau, who at one point during the debate was moved to tears while speaking about her party’s priorities, said the Green Party would renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement and crack down on white collar crime, as part of its platform.