Wellington-Haton Hills candidates had their last chance to win over voters at an all-candidates meeting here on June 4.
PC incumbent Ted Arnott, NDP candidate Dianne Ballantyne, Liberal candidate John Hurst and Green Party candidate Dave Rogers answered questions posed from the audience. Libertarian candidate Jadon Pfeiffer did not attend.
It was a full house at the Erin Legion for the debate hosted by Transition Erin.
The questions were a mix of local issues such as wastewater, water bottling and gravel, and provincial issues such as the greenbelt, sex education, carbon tax, reducing the deficit and more.
Do you support and will you pay for the future Erin wastewater treatment plant?
Hurst, a councillor in Halton Hills, said he understands the need for sewage treatment.
“I know this is part of the infrastructure needs of the province,” he said, noting the province has about $60 billion in infrastructure needs.
“I would suggest that there may be an opportunity for partnership,” he said. “It’s obvious that the provincial government will realize the limitations that would be on a community of this size.”
Rogers said he too understands the issue as he sits on the Hamilton-Halton Source Water Protection committee.
He said because an environmental assessment was mandated by the government, “I do think that the government is responsible for some of the funding, and there should be a co-funding arrangement.”
Arnott said he has been working closely with the municipal government on this issue.
“Erin is the largest municipality in southern Ontario without a wastewater system, and the fact that we don’t have a wastewater system here is inhibiting growth and is having an issue in terms of attracting new businesses and retaining existing ones,” Arnott said.
“It is my intention on Friday, if re-elected, to go into my office and write a letter to the premier-elect, whoever it is, and indicate that we need two-thirds of the cost of the project from upper levels of government.”
Ballantyne said an NDP government would work with the municipality on the wastewater issue.
“I don’t make policy; however, it would be my opinion that if it is a provincial government directive to grow, that they would work in collaboration and help support such large and costly infrastructure projects,” she said.
How will your party combat climate change?
Arnott said he believes climate change is real and is human-made.
“Our party is currently of the belief that the cap and trade program and any carbon tax program is something that the people of Ontario cannot afford at the present time,” he said. “We look to technology and innovation to find new ways to combat climate change.”
Arnott added commitments from the Paris Climate Accord will be challenging to keep.
“All of us as individuals … need to try to work together to ensure that we can reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and thus save the planet,” he said.
Ballantyne said the environmental commissioner raised doubts that Ontario can meet its 2020 and 2030 greenhouse gas reduction targets.
“The NDP’s platform is, yes, to use cap and trade, (and) to use 25% of those revenues to support communities that are going to be disproportionately affected by climate change, including northern, rural and low-income residents,” she said.
Hurst said the Liberal government was the one who put the cap and trade program in place to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“That money, I think it’s over $2.6 billion that has been raised so far since the cap and trade was instituted, that money is specifically designated to go back into infrastructure projects that … would reduce our carbon footprint,” he said.
Rogers said the Green Party is in favour of reducing emissions, favouring the fee and dividend model.
“The Green Party is in favour of any measure to reduce carbon, but they are not particularly enamoured with the cap and trade program, particularly in Ontario, where the 150 largest industrial producers are exempt,” he said. “The Green Party also feels that Ontario can benefit big time from leading the change to an environmentally, climate-responsible carbon policy.”
What plans (not promises) do you have to reduce the deficit/balance the books?
Ballantyne said the NDP would ask the wealthiest people and corporations to pay more taxes.
“The mythology that slightly raising the corporate tax is somehow going to cause problems for the economy is not based in reality as we have the lowest corporate tax in Canada; we have lower corporate tax than the United States, and we have lower corporate tax than all of Europe,” she said. “A slight increase will make a massive difference in revenue for the government.”
She added the NDP would also bring Hydro One back into public hands.
Hurst said infrastructure needs are critical.
“What the Liberal government has committed to do is to run a small deficit to try and address all of the issues with regard to infrastructure deficit that they can get to using that funding, along with funding from the hydro sale and the hydro profits,” he said. “The Liberal government feels that trying to reduce the infrastructure deficit is as important as trying to balance the budget.”
Rogers said the Green Party has a fully-costed program that would save money by closing nuclear stations, unifying the public and Catholic school systems, raising corporate tax by 1% and increasing revenues through levies.
“We need to raise levies and royalties for aggregates, water and mining to fully recover the cost of monitoring and maintaining these essential resources,” he said.
Arnott said the provincial government should be “living within its means” during good economic times, adding the NDP promises more spending.
“The new government needs to do a line-by-line review of all the government spending, looking for savings and efficiencies …” he said.
“I believe the provincial government should commit … to paying down the provincial debt on an annual basis.”
Will your party follow the European Union model and ban single-use plastic?
Rogers said he supports the model and citizens need to use alternatives.
“I think plastics really have to be addressed, they are a growing problem,” he said.
Arnott said he has seen awareness of the plastics problem increase.
“I agree that manufacturers need to take greater responsibility for the waste that they generate when they make a product,” he said. “All of us share a collective responsibility to … make sure our environmental footprint is reduced over time.”
Ballantyne said the NDP will focus on large polluters.
“It is not specifically detailed within our plan about banning single-use plastics within four years; however, the pledge that I signed with Save Our Water and Wellington Water Watchers states clearly that we will be advocating for the elimination of single-use plastic water bottles within the 10 years,” she said.
“If we really want to make significant changes we need legislative leadership in parliament in order to make those changes happen.”
Hurst said the public should be better at sorting its recycling and he doesn’t understand why products, not just in the food industry, are encased in plastic.
“I think the Liberal government is understanding that we are on the cusp for a need for change and that is something that I would certainly advocate for as your MPP,” he said.
Would you change the sex education system?
Hurst said despite PC leader Doug Ford’s “concern” about education, “we are all equal.”
“We have to understand that (LGBTQ) have to be recognized and they have to be appreciated and they cannot be shunned and they cannot be ignored,” he said.
Rogers said the Green Party is advocating for more support for marginalized groups in public school and post-secondary institutions.
“I think it is important that any education program reflects the population,” he said.
Arnott said a PC government would look at the sex ed. curriculum.
“When the current government brought in changes … it seemed to be in haste and … ” he said. “We felt at the time there was insufficient consultation with parents and … we would revisit the issue, respecting parents, restore the previous sex ed. curriculum until we can install a new one that is age appropriate and based on … consultation with parents.”
Ballantyne said, as a teacher, she supports the curriculum.
“The inclusion and celebration of LGBTQ is absolutely essential,” she said. “The curriculum was written by professionals, it was vetted by professionals, and it is taught at an age-appropriate level by professional.”
