Close to 250 people attended a question and answer period for Richmond’s federal election candidates Wednesday evening at the Richmond Country Club.
While the Richmond News and Richmond Chamber of Commerce posed a series of planned questions the audience engaged candidates with their own via a smartphone app, Pigeonhole Live, through which people could vote for their favourite questions.
At the top of people’s minds was why the Liberal Party supported the security legislation of Bill C-51.
Liberal Lawrence Woo defended his party’s stance, stating the Liberals would amend many measures and put in place greater checks and balances.
New Democrat Scott Stewart, a retired police officer, told the crowd “you don’t pass legislation before you make amendments.
“Now the cop is gonna talk about marijuana,” said Stewart, who supports decriminalization, along with all the other candidates save for the Conservatives.
The Tories — Kenny Chiu and Alice Wong — found themselves at odds with all the other candidates on several issues, such as marijuana reforms.
Kenny Chiu maintained his government’s role is to be at arms length of certain responsibilities, such as environmental assessments for projects like the jet fuel terminal on the Fraser River.
But Liberal candidate Joe Peschisolido called that an “abdication of responsibility.”
Port Metro Vancouver as a “decision maker (in the jet fuel decision) does not make sense,” added Peschisolido.
Stewart called for a federal review of the project and stronger environmental protection from Ottawa.
Kenny Chiu said he was open to the port acquiring farmland but only with conditions.
“I would provide them with the option to convert farmland into industrial use provided they prove to me they have exhausted all the alternatives,” said Chiu.
National funding for housing also divided the table.
Wong said restrictions on foreign home ownership are not a federal responsibility and one must be cautious of lowering land values.
Green candidate Vincent Chiu replied:
“It’s great if you want to sell but it’s terrible if you want to stay and live here.”
“I have to agree with Vincent,” said Woo, who wants more details on foreign capital in the real estate market.
Healthcare was also addressed.
All non-Tory candidates, save for Woo, said they wanted a universal pharmacare plan.
Woo said a (universal) national drug plan would benefit rich people, so he would prefer another national model for reducing drug costs.
Wong said pharmaceutical prices are a provincial matter as well.
Candidates kept to their party’s talking points on taxes and the budget.
Kenny Chiu said his party would keep taxes low to generate jobs and balance the budget. Although his government ran six consecutive deficits following the global recession he said it was incumbent upon government to not saddle future generations with more debt.
When asked, Chiu did not specifically address rising tuition costs, but maintained skills training and jobs for post-secondary graduates to pay off that debt was the best solution.
The Greens have promised billions to eliminate tuition fees.
All candidates said they supported free trade. The Greens noted they preferred to promote domestic commerce, while the NDP and Liberal candidates said the Conservatives have not been transparent with their trade negotiations.
NDP candidate Jack Trovato noted fossil fuel divestment must be done gradually.
In closing, Wong, the only incumbent, warned that now was not the time for “risky experiments,” but rather it’s time to “live within our means.”
At the end barbs were cast between candidates.
Woo said the Conservatives could “only balance the budget in an election year.”
He also said, as a member of parliament, he would not just spend “all the time attending ribbon cuttings.”
Kenny Chiu quoted Peschisolido from 17 years ago saying that he did not support the “liberalism” and “tax and spend” policies of past Liberal Prime Ministers Pierre Trudeau and Jean Chretien.
“We have to hold him accountable,” said Chiu, alluding to Peschisolido’s history of back-and-forth support between the Liberals and conservative-leaning parties.
The two are in competition with one another in the Steveston Richmond East riding and have a unique political relationship; Chiu, as the Canadian Alliance’s local riding association president, helped Peschisolido get elected to Ottawa in 2000, before Peschisolido crossed the floor to join the Liberals in 2002.
Candidates’ ‘dream’ legislation:
Joe Peschisolido: Eliminate factory farming
Vincent Chiu: Guaranteed livable income
Alice Wong: More seniors protection
Scott Stewart: Revoke Bill C-51
