P.A. candidates talk to young voters

“Usually people who don’t want to vote think ‘I don’t know enough,’ so stuff like this and educating the students, I think that’s awesome, I know there wasn’t a great turn out but I think the people that did come will have something to take away from it.,” Smith said.

For Smith, who will vote for the first time in a federal election in two weeks, the most important issues are high addiction and overdose rates, Indigenous issues including lack of clean water in many First Nations communities and the affordability of post-secondary education.

“Some people can’t afford to go to school and I think it should be available and accessible to everybody regardless of their socio-economic standing,” she said.

Fellow student association member Bob Carnahan agreed.

“Definitely education and tuition are a big thing, and health care, both mental and physical health and addiction,” he said.

During the forum, NDP candidate Harmony Johnson-Harder touted her party’s promise to expand the healthcare system to include not only pharmacare, but dental, mental, eye and hearing coverage as well.

“It’s time to start investing in ourselves and create healthy people living in a healthy society.”

People’s Party Candidate, Kelly Day, used the beginning of her opening statements to take aim at the United Nations. The PPC has promised to withdraw from all UN commitments if elected.

“It has been shown to be corrupt in a multitude of ways,” she said.

Liberal Estelle Hjertaas highlighted her party’s commitment to education, including increasing post-secondary grants and funding for education on-reserve.

“We’ve worked really hard to bridge the gap in funding which historically has been about 50-70 per cent of what a provincial school received per student, and that gap is pretty much bridged now,” she told the audience.

Sarah Kraynick, the Green Party candidate for Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River stood in for the Prince Albert Green candidate who lives out of province. Kraynick told the audience that her party was about more than just the environment, but it was still one of their top priorities.

“It’s not just about a carbon tax, we need to reframe our mentality towards industry, entrepreneurship and innovation,” Kraynick, the owner of a cyber-security firm, said during the forum.

The entire event was largely cordial and polite, with none of the four women talking over each other or interjecting. The only moments of tension came after Day’s opening statement. Johnson-Harder accused PPC supporters of “angry and hateful attacks.” Kraynick suggested the PPC had not embaced diversity. And Hjertaas referenced a video on Day’s Youtube channel.

“She talks about how anyone receiving government social assistance shouldn’t have the right to vote because they don’t have a stake in it because they’re not paying money,” said Hjertaas.

Later, in response to these criticisms , Day said, “I have said nothing racist. If you look at my Youtube channel, there’s nothing racist about the People’s Party of Canada or myself.”

Randy Hoback was not at the forum, event organizers said he did not respond to their invitation.

Editor’s note: this article was amended Oct.10 to make clear the context in which Day’s comments were made to criticisms from the other three candidates.

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Alison.sandstrom@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alisandstrom

by Alison Sandstrom

P.A. candidates talk to young voters

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