As the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party remain , a minority government is on the minds of both politicians and the electorate.

That became clear during the Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola all-candidates forum on Wednesday (Oct. 9) at the Westbank Lions Community Centre after an audience member asked the MP hopefuls how they would tackle the hypothetical situation.

sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檝e spoken to a lot of veteran MPs who actually lived through minority governments. Isa国际传媒檒l tell you what, it is a very rough, turbulent time,sa国际传媒� said Conservative candidate Dan Albas.

sa国际传媒淥ftentimes, the relationships are strained and people end up with very hard feelings over a period of time.sa国际传媒�

Albas went on to explain a recent experience he had working with opposing parliamentarians after a report was released that identified at least $5 billion in real estate money laundering in B.C. over just one year.

sa国际传媒淚 was so impressed that Liberal members, many who had openly rejected my ideas at the beginning of the process, came around to those same ideas and we presented that to the minister of finance. Thatsa国际传媒檚 how the system should work.sa国际传媒�

Albas said he would be sa国际传媒渧ery testedsa国际传媒� to work with the Bloc Quebecois as sa国际传媒淐anada is stronger as a united whole.sa国际传媒�

READ MORE: Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola candidates discuss issues

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Liberal candidate Mary Ann Murphy said itsa国际传媒檚 not an issue of whether shesa国际传媒檚 willing to work with other parties.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 the responsibility of a member of parliament to represent you instead of going to Ottawa to engage in fighting with the other parties and spending most of their time bickering,sa国际传媒� she said.

sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 sick of that. Isa国际传媒檓 sick of hearing about it. I would like to see results.sa国际传媒�

Murphy added that her support of other parties would come sa国际传媒渋ssue-by-issue.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淐ould I accept one of the partysa国际传媒檚 positions on immigration? No, I couldnsa国际传媒檛,sa国际传媒� she said, motioning towards the Peoplesa国际传媒檚 Party of Canada candidate Allan Duncan.

sa国际传媒淐ould I accept the Conservativesa国际传媒檚 position on the TMX (Trans Mountain Pipeline)? Of course, I could.sa国际传媒�

She went on to say she would also accept the Green position to work on climate and the NDPsa国际传媒檚 Indigenous reconciliation policies.

The NDPsa国际传媒檚 Joan Phillip said she would work with any government that wants to sa国际传媒渓ift up people.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檝e been subsidizing that top one per cent for too long,sa国际传媒� she stated.

sa国际传媒淲orking people should be brought up and not pushed down as they have been over the past 152 years.sa国际传媒�

According to Phillip, the Conservative and Liberal governments have created a sa国际传媒渃onditionsa国际传媒� in which the wealthiest people are taxed the least.

Duncan believes the parliamentary system already encourages co-operation between MPs and the Peoplesa国际传媒檚 Party will bring a currently unheard voice to those conversations.

sa国际传媒淭hat voice needs to be heard. I know theresa国际传媒檚 a lot of aggressive rhetoric to get that voice out,sa国际传媒� he said.

sa国际传媒淚 like to work with as many dance partners as possible. I like making new friends. Isa国际传媒檇 be willing to work with any of the parties, just as that is part of my personality.sa国际传媒�

He agreed with Albas that working with the Bloc Quebecois would be a problem but said he would still work with the party on issues that didnsa国际传媒檛 involve the leverage of separatism.

Robert Mellalieu of the Green Party started his statement on the issue with a pertinent joke: sa国际传媒渁 camel is a horse built by committee.sa国际传媒�

Mellalieu attributed the Green Partysa国际传媒檚 unwillingness to work with the Conservatives on their stance on environmental issues.

sa国际传媒淥nce we get them convinced that their climate plan isnsa国际传媒檛 going to work and they should take a look at the Green one sa国际传媒� then we can work with the Conservatives,sa国际传媒� he said.

Mellalieu also reminded the audience both universal health care and old-age pension were put in place by minority governments.

sa国际传媒淒onsa国际传媒檛 be afraid of that. Some good things will come of it,sa国际传媒� he said.

michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
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