https://www.niagarathisweek.com/news-story/3260188-candidates-square-off-at-chamber-debate/
Candidates square off at chamber debate
The candidates for the four major parties running to represent St. Catharines at Queen’s Park squared off at a chamber debate last week, but not before a couple of uninvited candidates shook things up with a mini-protest.
The St. Catharines-Thorold Chamber of Commerce sponsored the debate, held before a small crowd at the Quality Inn Parkway Convention Centre. However, before any candidates could deliver their opening remarks or answer questions, two of the three candidates who were not invited disrupted the proceedings.
Independent Jon Radick stood up and decried the decision by the chamber, noting that other chambers in the region welcome all candidates.
“I thought we lived in a democracy,” he said.
He was joined by Communist Party candidate Saleh Waziruddin, and both took to the stage, refusing to leave until hotel security was summoned.
Explaining the chamber’s policy was Kithio Mwanza, policy coordinator for the St. Catharines-Thorold Chamber of Commerce, who explained that the board had decided only to welcome candidates or parties which received at least two per cent of the votes in the previous election.
Shouts of protest could be heard from the audience, though things quieted down quickly once the candidates left.
In her opening comments, NDP candidate Irene Lowell noted the local NDP office sent a letter to the chamber to decry the decision.
When she moved on to discussing her party’s policy, Lowell said it’s people-driven, with a focus on putting people back to work.
“We would like to have every person in Ontario work,” she said. “It’s not too much to ask.”
Progressive Conservative candidate Sandie Bellows told the audience about her past as a survivor of a violent attack by a convicted preditor. She said her party’s plan to require such criminals to wear GPS anklets would have helped her.
“Dalton McGuinty refuses to take action to protect our vulnerable citizens,” she said.
Liberal incumbent Jim Bradley, a veteran of provincial elections, noted his party has tackled tough issues and made the necessary decisions for the future — even if they weren’t popular. He then listed a number of infrastructure projects in St. Catharines for which his government has been a partner at the table.
“The list goes on, with the list of accomplishments in St. Catharines,” he said.
Green party candidate Jennifer Mooradian, meanwhile, tried to shrug off the popular conception of her party as being the granola-eating, marijuana-legalizing type. She said it has a broad platform that appeals to everyone.
“It wants to better the life of everyone living in Ontario,” she said.
The candidates were asked a variety of questions, with each directed first at one candidate and the others given a chance for rebuttal. Bradley was asked if he supported a new spectator facility and if provincial dollars should be made available, to which he replied the decision would need to be made locally.
“I will always work with my community when they put forward a proposal,” he said.
Bellows was asked if she supported a mid-peninsula highway, which gave her an opportunity to differentiate herself from the other candidates.
“If a business cannot efficiently ship their product from point A to point B, then how will they be able to keep their doors open, let along expand and hire?” she said.
The other three outlined their opposiiton, with Bradley noting businesses relying on traffic in St. Catharines would lose out with what would in effect be a bypass.
Mooradian, meanwhile, cited studies showing it wouldn’t lead to less congestion, at least not in the long term.
“More roads always equals more cars,” she said.
Lowell was asked her thoughts on a minimum wage commission which would take input from labour, employers and government. She took the opportunity to say the NDP would raise the wage to $11 per hour.
“We do not want anyone to live in poverty,” she said. “No one.”
Health care came up a few times during the debate, with all three taking aim at its current state under the Liberals. Bellows said her party would shut down the Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs), pouring the money saved into front-line care.
Lowell, meanwhile, brought up the C. difficile crisis and the lack of trust placed in the local hospital system.
“We deserve to walk into a hospital without being afraid we’re going to die,” she said.
For her part, Mooradian said there are certain basic services which should be available in all hospitals, referring to the closure of emergency rooms in Port Colborne and Fort Erie.
Bradley defended his government’s record, noting the NHS budget has been boosted by 56 per cent. He said health care already eats up 46 per cent of the entire budget, and will only be sustainable in the future if more elderly people can be supported in staying in their homes.
Voters go to the polls Oct. 6.
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