On Tuesday, February 17, candidates running to be Sarnia-Lambton’s representative in Queen’s Park, sat down for a lunch hosted by the Sarnia Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club.
In a packed room on the second floor of the Dante Club, candidates introduced themselves to attendees and answered a handful of questions chosen by the moderators from a pool submitted by audience members.
Notably absent from the all-candidates lunch was incumbent Progressive Conservative MPP Bob Bailey who, in a widely criticized move, does not plan to attend any all-candidates meeting before the election February 27.
Green Party candidate Pamela Reid and Ontario Party candidate Mark Lamore were also not in attendance.
Attending the event were NDP candidate Candace Young, Liberal candidate Rachel Willsie, Independent candidate Nathan Colquhoun, Libertarian candidate Jacques Boudreau, Populist Party candidate Tom Stoukas, and New Blue candidate Keith Benn.
The candidates gave opening remarks and then had one minute to address five questions posed throughout the two-hour event. They were asked how they would protect jobs in Sarnia’s trades industry, how they would support women in the face of a growing movement to disenfranchise them in the U.S., how they would support Sarnia’s industries in meeting emissions reductions, and what their plans are to address the lack of affordable supportive housing in Sarnia-Lambton.
Candidates were asked what they felt were the most pressing local issues for Sarnia-Lambton and how they plan to address them as a Member of Provincial Parliament.
PPO candidate Tom Stoukas said, “The housing situation in Sarnia, it’s very alarming. That’s probably one of the most important pressing issues.” The solution, he suggested, is to distance ourselves from the policies and globalist agenda of the Federal Liberals. “We got to stop printing money at the federal level…and we have to limit mass immigration because it puts pressure on housing.”
New Blue candidate Keith Benn said, “The number one pressing issue in Sarnia and St. Clair Township is to reinvigorate the industry by making it an attractive place to invest.” He suggested that we need that investment in the oil, gas, and petrochemical sector, as well as the agri-food industry, to create jobs for young people.
Independent candidate Nathan Colquhoun (owner of the Sarnia Journal) said, “The most pressing issue for Sarnia-Lambton, which is very evident in who is here and who is not here, is that we are being ignored. The root problem is that decisions are being made without us in mind.” Colquhoun believes the various problems in Sarnia can be addressed by having an MPP who can advocate for local issues and work across party lines without being beholden to any particular leader or ideological agenda.
Libertarian candidate Jacques Boudreau said, “It is at the individual level that things matter in terms of what is most important. If we took a poll here, we would find very different answers among the people.” He suggested that the various issues that individuals face can be addressed by reducing the size and scope of government, removing the barriers, red tape, and central planning that stand in the way of individual enterprise.
Liberal candidate Rachel Willsie said, “The largest problem in Sarnia-Lambton is the lack of working together. We need to learn to come back together to the table.” Willsie said she is concerned with the crises in health care, addictions, housing, and suggested that these can be addressed through cooperation, rebuilding relationships, and bringing Sarnia back to what it was 20 years ago.
New Democratic Party candidate Candace Young shared a story of meeting a woman named Tammy who has been helping people living in the Rainbow Park encampment. “It is top of mind for a lot of people, just heartbreaking to know what’s going on with people in encampments and how they’re not getting the help they need.” She touted the NDP’s plan to build 60, 000 supportive housing units, provide mental health care, and a plan to hire 3,500 family doctors province wide “to make sure that everybody is getting the health care they deserve.”
The candidates then gave closing remarks. Organizers said they would forward all the questions from attendees they were not able to get to, and get more response from the candidates.