Candidates in the federal election are off and running.
Three the five current candidates contesting the riding are familiar, having run in the the last election.
Brent Bouteiller will again be representing the Green Party. He has run federally and provincially several times for the party. He lives south of Fergus.
Incumbent Michael Chong, who lives south of Fergus is again running for the Conservatives.
The NDP’s Noel Duignan has dropped out and there was no candidate filed as of press time.
Barry Peters, who lives in the Rockwood area is running for the Liberals.
Jeffrey Streutker, of Georgetown will again carry the banner of the Christian Heritage Party.
The election is on May 2.
Streutker said the issues he sees in the riding are reflected in his party’s policies.
He said people are most concerned with the reduction in moral standards they are seeing today.
That includes the treatment of the economy, with the continual downloading of payments onto the next generation.
“We should treat the national debt like a mortgage and pay it off,” he said.
Streutker added he would like to see immigration policies to ban immigrants from countries that follow the Muslim Sharia law.
“When people move here, they have to accept Canadian law,” he said.
He added the CHP prefers one parent working at home, and his party would provide $1,000 a month per family to aid that policy.
He said with the money saved from unemployment and welfare, the country could afford the policy until all children reach age 18, and there would be lots of jobs available for the unemployed.
Liberal Barry Peters was nominated in late 2009 and said he has been listening to people’s issues since then. He said seniors are concerned with pensions and would like “a little more security.”
He said child care is a issue in the riding, and people want more accessibility and more space for kids.
He added he has been “hearing a little bit” about health care. jobs, and the economy.” He is also hearing about deficits, taxes, and creating jobs.
He questioned Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s tactics. “How do you trust a government that prides itself on misdirection,” he asked.
Peters has spent the past year learning about those issues at meetings, ad fundraisers across the riding.
Chong said the number one issue with people is the economy, with many concerned about jobs, pensions, and retirement.
“Our government has been focused on the economy,” he said, noting Canada has emerged stronger than any other country from the world wide recession. “Our handling of the economy over the past two years has been exemplary,” he said. “Canada has emerged stronger and is in a better [economic] position than any other country.”
He said now it is important to implement the second phase of the government’s economic plan, which incudes “reducing taxes for families and job creators” and continuing methods of stimulating the economy that include the retrofit program that aids people to save energy in their homes, increase benefits for seniors, attracting health care professionals to rural areas with incentives of paying a part of their student loans, and credits to small business so they can start hiring more people.
Chong said, “Small business is the economic engine for our economy in Wellington County. It’s a great help to hire new employees.”
As for the economy in general, he said, “People are cautiously optimist. They are aware there are a lot of risks outside of Canada.”
Those include unrest in the Middle East, North Africa, and the recent devastation in Japan.
“The only other issue I’ve heard is people want strong representation in Ottawa at the local level,” he said. “My pledge is to continue to be that strong voice for the people of Wellington Halton Hills.
Bouteiller said the Conservative leader is a big issue. “Everybody’s telling me they’re upset with Harper,” he said.
He added the first person he spoke with on the campaign was upset at the cost and lack of bids for the F-35 fighter jets.
Bouteiller said it sounds to him those jets are designed to do many things, which means they will not do any one thing very well – and Canada is paying a premium for them.
There was also waste for the G20 last year in Toronto, and the Green party wants “a sound budget.”
As for the environment, “Everybody wants to know why we’re not doing anything. Canada looks like we’re out in left field. It’s embarrassing.”
Bouteiller said in the riding there are lots of issues that have been around a long time and not been solved, such as water taking, gravel pits, and problems south of Erin and in Acton with noise and dust from gravel pits, as well as threats to water from digging below the water table.
Genetically modified foods are also an issue, particularly alfalfa.
He said if that is permitted, it will spread and eventually modify all alfalfa, and that means there will be none left that is organic.
Finally, he said, “We need a stronger local economy, with manufacturing brought back to the area.
He said he sees this area producing more innovative products.
