As the Oct. 21 federal election approaches, we asked candidates in the riding of Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola to respond to several questions.
There are six candidates in this riding, but two Peoplesa国际传媒檚 Party of Canada candidate Allan Duncan and Libertarian Party candidate Jesse Regier could not be reached.
The candidates who responded are Dan Albas of the Conservative Party of Canada, Mary Ann Murphy of the Liberal Party, Robert Mellalieu of the Green Party and Joan C. Phillip of the New Democratic Party.
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The cost of housing can make it hard for some employers to hire workers. How would you combat housing issues in the valley?
Dan Albas
sa国际传媒淲e would start by reviewing the stress test to make sure that it is doing the important work it needs to do to reduce stress to the overall economy, but not at the expense of people that are just starting out. Wesa国际传媒檇 also reintroduce 30-year amortization to first-time homebuyers. Also, wesa国际传媒檙e talking about a money-laundering inquiry.sa国际传媒�
Robert Mellalieu
sa国际传媒淭he cost of housing is a difficult one to combat right now because we have a lot of people who are spending a lot of money on their $500,000 house, and if we bring the housing prices down, wesa国际传媒檙e going to put a lot of people in bankruptcy. We need to make sure theresa国际传媒檚 more affordable housing. I donsa国际传媒檛 think theresa国际传媒檚 any one magic bullet.sa国际传媒�
Mary Ann Murphy
sa国际传媒淭he Liberal government, in addition to implementing the first national housing strategy in over a decade, is offering a new mortgage option for first-time young homebuyers whereby CMHC will assume 10 per cent of that mortgage, and it will not have to be paid back until the sale of the home.sa国际传媒�
Joan Phillip
sa国际传媒淥ur party plans on building at least 500,000 affordable housing. We understand how challenging it is. I recall a time when cooperatives were very big. I think we might be looking at that.sa国际传媒�
If you are elected but your party does not form government, how will you ensure the needs of your riding are addressed at the federal level?
Dan Albas
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 important to take the view that any time that we as taxpayers send money to Ottawa, if theresa国际传媒檚 a national program like infrastructure, that we should be able to access it as well. Isa国际传媒檓 for a very fair distribution of those infrastructure funds, and wesa国际传媒檝e seen that happen here in the valley. I donsa国际传媒檛 simply want to oppose the government; I want to give them new ideas.sa国际传媒�
Robert Mellalieu
sa国际传媒淥ne of the things Isa国际传媒檝e learned in the Green Party is to get along. Consensus is this word that Isa国际传媒檝e learned. As long as you all come with respect and understanding, you can come to a consensus. Theresa国际传媒檚 a common ground in there, and I think right now people donsa国际传媒檛 search for that common ground.sa国际传媒�
Mary Ann Murphy
sa国际传媒淪top the bickering, reach out and work with other politicians of different stripes. If someone has a good ideasa国际传媒� sit down and work together for the good of your constituents and their communities.sa国际传媒�
Joan Phillip
sa国际传媒淚 would introduce independent memberssa国际传媒� bills. I would speak out in the house. For the last 152 years, wesa国际传媒檝e had both Liberal and Conservative governments, and really they have not worked for people. The top one per cent have gotten wealthier and the rest of us have gotten poorer, and I think that needs to stop.sa国际传媒�
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Whatsa国际传媒檚 your favourite Okanagan fruit?
Dan Albas
sa国际传媒淣umber one would be cherries. I love cherry pie and I love cherries in general. Peaches would be my second.sa国际传媒�
Robert Mellalieu
sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檝e got an apple tree in my back yard. When we first moved here, we were waiting for all the apples to go red. One branch was just staying green. It had been spliced many times. It actually has five varieties of apples on this apple tree.sa国际传媒�
Mary Ann Murphy
sa国际传媒淢y favourite Okanagan fruit is cherries, because most people donsa国际传媒檛 realize we produce 80 per cent of the worldsa国际传媒檚 cherries here in the Okanagan. The federal government this past year has announced a major investment through the Summerland and a matching Ontario research station to look at producing also new varietals of apples and pears that are more pest-resistant.sa国际传媒�
Joan Phillip
sa国际传媒淐herries. Cherries are more than just a fruit. Theysa国际传媒檙e good for gout, and I love the jam. I make jams with different spices and different flavours. Actually, berries are excellent because theysa国际传媒檙e good for diabetics.sa国际传媒�
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