Wednesday, May 6, 2009

All-candidates Debate

I had the chance to attend last night’s all-candidates debate for the riding of Fort Langley –Aldergrove at the Township Municipal Hall. The event was hosted by the Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce and the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board. There was some lively debate, and I wanted to highlight some of the key messages from the candidates. So, in the order of their seating last night:

Jordan Braun, BC REFED

-Wants to change the system of government in BC with a new constitution based on the Swiss government system. (Direct Democracy based on having referendums four times a year.)
-Believes that MLA are unaccountable most of the year, and are only accountable to their parties.
-Wants to change how taxes are collect by the federal government. Wants BC to take care of its own taxes.
-Supports Income Tax, not Consumption Tax.
-Support light rail for the Valley.

Gail Chaddock-Costello, BC NDP
-Outlined her role on the BCTF and working in Langley Schools.
-Concerned about the BC Liberals Record. Claims that under the BC Liberals, BC now has the highest rate of child poverty, homelessness, and crime.
-Supports policies that look at reducing child poverty, homelessness, and increasing minimum wage.
-Does don't support Carbon Tax.
-Supports light rail for the Valley.

Rich Coleman, BC Liberals
-Talked about government's track record on infrastructure project spending ($14 billion dollars for the next several years).
-Supports improvements to heath care, education, social programs, and public safety.
-Supports lowering income tax.
-Support small business by lowering industrial and small business taxes.
-Supports working with the federal government on capital gain rollover. (This is good for Smart Growth and affordable housing.)
-Supports the new Port Mann Bridge
-Supports light rail based on the results of the Fraser Valley Rail Study.

Travis Erbacher, BC Green Party
-19 year old student at UFV.
-Talked about global warming and the effects on the environment and what the BC Green Party will do about it.
-Supports transit services improvement to reduce emissions that cause global warming.
-Doesn’t support the Gateway Program or Port Mann Bridge. Money better spent on improving transit instead of putting more cars on the road.
-Support a new, green economy.

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