2019 Federal Election – Question 2 Responses

Judith Wilson
New Democratic Party

As a family practice lawyer, Judith is acutely aware of the struggles of the most challenged and vulnerable in our community, which is why she is committed to the NDP’s bold policies.

Jagmeet Singh has set out a courageous NDP vision: a new deal for Canadians for better health care including pharmacare, investment in services to make life better and more affordable, and a new, job-rich clean economy that’ll create at least 300,000 new jobs.

The NDP will implement a National Seniors Strategy which will include prescription medicine for all seniors, a funded national dementia study and a refundable caregiver Tax credit.

The NDP is committed to tackle the Housing Crisis with half a million affordable housing units over the next decade.

We’ll make sure that young people can start out in life without a crushing debt burden. A New Democrat government will immediately eliminate interest on Canada Student Loans, both for new and for existing loans, saving the average person with a loan more than $4,000. Over the long term, we’ll work with the provinces and territories to build towards making post-secondary education part of our public education system so kids can go from kindergarten to a career without the barrier of cost.  

Every parent across Canada should be able to find affordable, quality child care when they need it, with a provider making a fair wage. We’ll invest $1 billion in a first year of our mandate and grow that annually towards a universal, public child care that works for all Canadian families, building on the work done in provinces like Quebec and BC.

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Patrick Weiler
Liberal Party

We are already working to protect those populations through a number of measures such as phasing out coal by 2030 which will lead to a major reduction in mercury emissions, one of the most toxic substances that bioaccumulates in marine mammals and disproportionately effects Northern communities. The Liberal team has also invested $2 billion in climate adaptation for communities and will invest an additional $1 billion in this regard. We are also rolling out community-led clean energy projects to help remote indigenous communities to move away from using diesel to power their homes.

Canada will also deliver on its international climate-finance commitment of $2.65 billion by 2020 to help the poorest and most vulnerable countries mitigate and adapt to climate change.

We know that climate change will impact everyone, and some, as the questions indicates, will be impacted sooner or more severely. Whether it’s through ensuring seniors are supported, we continue to lift children out of poverty (300,000 have already been lifted out of poverty in the last four years), we need to have a plan that protects our planet and everyone on it.

I look forward to being a champion on action to address climate change and ensuring those who need help the most are supported.

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Dana Taylor
Green Party

The Green Party is committed to renewing the Social Contract. Canada has a strong tradition of providing the social supports that people need to live fulfilling lives. Over the past 30 years the government has withdrawn from some sectors such as housing, and has failed to keep pace with changing and expanding needs in others. Poverty, income insecurity, student debt, lack of affordable housing, unsafe drinking water, lack of access to a family doctor and unaffordable child care are not inevitable in one of the richest countries in the world. We must recommit to a vision of Canada as a just society built around a progressive, fair and compassionate social safety network.

• Enact Pharmacare for all by 2020
• Expand access to safe abortion services
• Implement improved health care systems for Indigenous Peoples
• Declare a national health emergency to address the opioid crisis
• Establish a national mental health strategy

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Gabrielle Loren
Conservative Party

There are many changes and initiatives still to be done to protect the vulnerable. Ideally, these need to be addressed in a non-partisan manner.  One way the Conservative Plan benefits the vulnerable is the removal of the carbon tax, which lowers the cost of essentials such as gas, groceries, and heating.  Remote Indigenous communities, seniors, and all people often have no other option but to heat their homes with affordable and reliable natural gas or propane. The additional removal of GST on heating frees up more money to be used on essentials which they may not currently be able to afford.

One way our plan encourages and supports positive climate change is the development of green technology to make environmentally friendly alternatives available. This can be done without making the lives of Canadians harder and more expensive. The Real Plan for the Environment provides many tax credits to individuals; however, not everyone is in a position to take advantage of them.  As such, we recognize that we cannot focus exclusively on climate change.  While we implement our climate initiatives, we still have a responsibility to the vulnerable, and we have specific policies that address this.  Health initiatives on Mental Health, stable and predictable Health and Social program funding, a Green Transit Tax Credit and, the Universal Tax Cut are a few of the ways that the Conservative Plan not only can protect all people, but can provide more needed dollars for basic necessities of life and independence for many. We will work with all levels of government to create and follow through on housing initiatives and the building of various types of housing to supply affordable housing options.  We are committed to making real and measurable improvements in the lives of Indigenous peoples, and will make investments in access to housing, health services, and quality drinking water.

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Gordon Jeffrey
Rhinoceros Party

I see the other candidates have chosen to attempt to dance around this question, but I will give it to you straight as I have pledged to do in all things. Most issues disproportionately affect the most vulnerable of us; otherwise they would not be the most vulnerable. Working toward fixing environmental issues will benefit us all, but will similarly disproportionately benefit the most vulnerable by virtue of them being most at risk. We’re all in this together.

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Terry Grimwood
Canada Fresh Party

The new Hubs will support socialization and renewal. We are calling for underwater communities in the arctic.

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Doug (Robert) Bebb
People's Party

This claim is total nonsense.  There is no climate crisis.  If natural climate change causes problems for certain groups in several decades, or centuries from now, the People’s Party of Canada will work to alleviate whatever difficulties do develop.

The last time we had a climate warming scare was almost 100 years ago.  That time it was only the northern seals that were threatened.  No mention of anybody else.

“The Arctic Ocean is warming up, icebergs are growing scarcer, and in some places the seals are finding the water too hot. Reports from fishermen, seal hunters, and explorers all point to a radical change in climate conditions and hitherto unheard-of temperatures in the Arctic zone. Exploration expeditions report that scarcely any ice has been met as far north as 81 degrees 29 minutes. Within a few years it is predicted that due to the ice melt the sea will rise and make most coastal cities uninhabitable.” — from an Associated Press report published in The Washington Post on Nov. 2, 1922.

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