Provincial Election 2011 Kitchener-Conestoga
Posted Sep 9, 2011 08:52:35 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Candidates in this riding are listed in alphabetical order by last name.
NDP-Mark Cairns
The 23-year old Cairns is running for the second time in the riding of Kitchener-Conestoga, having made his first foray into provincial politics in 2007 at the age of 19. Cairns is an officer with the Waterloo Region Labour Council and is a United Way volunteer. He sees his goals as raising the minimum wage, battling against private health care and lowering tuition fees.
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PC-Michael Harris
Born and raised on a family farm, Harris is a volunteer with Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region and Compass Kitchener, and has served on the Greater Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber of Commerce’s Energy and Environment Committee. He is a business development manager, Harris is a graduate of the business management program at Conestoga College.
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Liberal-Leeanna Pendergast
A long-time educator, Pendergast was a vice-principal of four schools before being elected to Queen’s Park in the riding of Kitchener-Conestoga in the 2007 election. Born and raised in Kitchener, she has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Waterloo, a bachelor’s of education at the University of Toronto and a master of arts degree at the university of Oxford. Pendergast is the parliamentary assistant to the provincial finance minister.
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Green-Robert Rose
Mr. Rose is an organic farmer and Red Seal chef who grew up in Wawa. He attended Niagara College, where he studied Business Administration, and completed his chef apprenticeship at Fanshawe College. Rose believes that having lived in many parts of Ontario, he has a deep understanding of the province.
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We invited the candidates to each give an answer to 10 questions provided to them by 570 News. Here are the answers (and the questions) from candidate Cameron Dearlove.
1. For many Ontarians, particularly the elderly, health care is a hugely important issue. In fact, a recent Nanos poll showed that health care was the issue of most concern for voters – 26.4 per cent – compared to 16 per cent who say they’re most concerned about jobs and the economy. How important do you believe this issue is, and what assurances can you give that you will fight to safeguard hospitals and the healthcare system?
Rose: I agree it is important. Health care is not singular however to Greens. It is part of a system that requires a new focus and as a green MPP I will assist in creating incentives to encourage people to live a healthy lifestyle, provide education on nutrition to ensure a healthy riding.
2. The estimated cost of the health care system is a staggering $47-billion, and some critics have suggested it is unsustainable, as the population ages and there are increased demands placed on it. What changes would you make to the system to maintain its effectiveness while keeping it under fiscal control?
Rose: Re-prioritize funding to support doctors, nurse practitioners and other health professionals. Put communities back in charge of local health care decisions and create electronic health records.
3. The economy never fails to be a significant issue during election campaigns, and, given the current global economic uncertainty and projections by some analysts that we will experience another recession in North America, what are your suggestions for strengthening the local economy?
Rose: Reduce red tape for small and medium sized businesses so they can create new jobs in our communities. Support research and development with companies that will provide clean technologies for decades to come.
4. For younger voters, there is no issue of greater concern than finding work. Ontario’s youth unemployment rate – at 15 per cent – is higher than the national average and twice the province’s overall rate. Amid a rapidly changing, and increasingly knowledge based economy, how do we reduce youth unemployment?
Rose: Create jobs for a 21st century economy. Invest in green energy, home and business building retrofitting to lower costs to allow for job creation. update and strengthen our education system, tuition freeze and increase investment in apprenticeship programs like I completed.
5. Still with employment, each of the parties has its own suggestions to help immigrants find jobs and integrate into the economy. To what extent do you believe employers should be subsidized, given tax credits, rebated, or otherwise compensated if they hire a skilled immigrant?
Rose: I think hiring a skilled worker should allow for a possible tax credit, no need to specify immigrants. This will encourage all electors to strive for training to ensure they are a better job candidate and to allow employers to get a credit for skilled workers period.
6. Part of the journey to finding employment is acquiring the necessary skills and education required to enter the workforce. What is your assessment of the current post-secondary education system? Are we doing enough to create skilled tradespeople in the province? Are we churning out too many university graduates?
Rose: We need more co-op programs to allow for direct employment in the field/industry students hope to become professionals in. We can’t have “too many university graduates” but we need grads that can work in a new economy with a focus on green energy, local produce and farming as well as new technologies.
7. Transportation has been a very high-profile issue in our area. What do you think needs to be done to create a more effective transportation system? How much do you embrace investing in public transportation, including light rail in Waterloo Region? How much do you embrace investing in roads?
Rose: The region needs better access from Elmira to New Hamburg to South Kitchener. Better transit will eliminate families need to own two vehicles and allow for higher revenues in public transit.
8. Critics have suggested that mandatory smart meters, which allow suppliers to charge more for energy used during peak demand periods, are a tax grab. To what extent do you agree with this contention? What is your approach to energy consumption in the province?
Rose: It is a tax grab! We need to invest in lowering our dependence on energy. Go solar and get a tax break, use green energy appliances and get a break, etc.
9. How would you recommend eliminating the provincial deficit and begin paying down the debt? Are there any areas of government expenditure that you believe can be eliminated?
Rose: This is a complex question. The greens will eliminate the debt 18 months before the next party states they can while not eliminating services and not increases taxes. Please refer to www.gpo.ca for the plan!
10. What do you think makes Waterloo Region such a great place to live and work? If you were an ambassador for the Region, how would you describe it?
Rose: I do describe this as a great land to live and play in! I love the vast farmland and produce in our area. The availability to quickly get outside the city areas and enjoy the walking trails, parks and people make this a happy place to raise a family.
