By Khang Nguyen

NDP and Liberals spar at “Not in the News” forum

Oct 8, 2015 | 6:28 AM

Although it was the last topic to be added to the docket, the discussion of reconciliation brought out the best of both federal candidates at Wednesday night’s forum.

The “Not in the News” candidate forum hosted by the Council of Canadians saw NDP candidate Lon Borgerson and Liberal candidate Gordon Kirkby duel it out on topics deemed not to be “necessarily making news headlines.”

The topic of reconciliation closed out the night with both candidates sharing their respective party plans.

Both candidates pledged their party’s would work on the 94 call-to-actions. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) has asked for including issues on child welfare, education, health and commemoration.

They also both agreed on calling an inquiry into missing and murdered aboriginal women, with the NDP promising to do so within 100 days if elected into government, and the Liberal party vowing an immediate call if elected into government.

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Borgerson shared the NDP’s plan to provide $375 million dollars over four years to improve infrastructure problems such as clean water and sanitation facilities in indigenous communities. According to Borgerson, an NDP government will invest $120 million to improve health services available for indigenous people.

Kirkby said a Liberal government would give $2.5 billion to equalize and bring equality between First Nation’s education and their provincial counter parts through apprenticeships, and training and job skills programs. He also shared a focused reconciliation plan for the Metis Nation which includes renewing the Kelowna Accord to enhance existing scholarships and bursaries available to indigenous and Metis students.

When asked about abolishing the Indian Act, both candidates acknowledged that neither party includes that in their platforms.

“Out of relationship and respect on a Nation to Nation level, that is something that has to be negotiated with First Nations, Metis and Inuit people across the country,” Borgerson said. “It would be absolutely foolish and wrong of an NDP government to roll ahead in an arbitrary fashion, so they’ll be consultation with relation and respect.”

Kirkby took a similar stance stating the Liberal party would stimulate conversation across the country.

“We will of course honour the spirit and the intent of those treaties and work in an atmosphere of mutual respect to resolve issues as they arise.”

Candidates take on climate, healthcare and poverty

Attendees were asked to vote on what they believed to be the most important topics upon entering the room. The three other topics chosen to be spoken about were healthcare, poverty, and climate change.

Kirkby stated a future Liberal government would spend $2 billion to establish a low carbon economy trust to provide funding projects that would reduce carbon emissions. They would also invest $200 million each year to support innovations in use of clean technology.

Borgerson spoke about the NDP’s cap-and-trade system which would force big polluting provinces to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Borgerson also stated the party’s aims to reduce emission by 80 per cent by 2050, and their intention to reintroduce the climate change accountability act.

In terms of healthcare, Borgerson said an NDP government would meet or exceed the six per cent escalator clause for the health accord, improve care for seniors, implement a comprehensive national strategy for mental health and lower the cost of prescription drugs with a pharmacare program.

With healthcare being a provincial jurisdiction, Kirkby stressed that healthcare changes would come after negotiations with provincial and federal leaders.

“We just can’t stand here and say it’s going to happen. It’s going to need some negotiations and good will,” Kirkby said.

However, he did say a Liberal government would work with the provinces on funding a formula for a drug plan.

Regarding poverty, Kirkby emphasized the need of creating a system that incentivizes and gives people the opportunity to work their way out of poverty. Examples would be to provide programs for addictions and mental health issues.

According to Borgerson, an NDP government would lower corporate tax cuts to provide money for programs. He also said they would give $400 million to boost the guaranteed income supplement to bring over 200,000 seniors above the poverty line as well as raise minimum wage to $15 an hour.

Two candidate debate

The forum lacked voices from both the Conservative and Green Party.

While Green Party’s Byron Tenkink has been absent from most candidate forums, this is one of the few that Conservative Party’s Randy Hoback has not attended.

A representative from Hoback’s campaign office told paNOW they, “do not take part in debates which are hosted by partisan organizations.”

Stated on the Council of Canadians website is their policy on non-partisanship which states they, “do not endorse candidates, parties or holders of public office.”

Voting begins at 7:30 a.m. and will close at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct.19.

knguyen@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @khangvnguyen