Kitchener-Conestoga candidates say they'll speak up for local infrastructure, climate change

CBC invited candidates from the parties represented in the House of Commons for a panel discussion. Candidates for the Kitchener-Conestoga riding were asked about climate change, the post-COVID-19 economy and how they'd have their voices heard if elected.

Conservative candidate Carlene Hawley declined the invitation to take part.

Owen Bradley says he's heard the promises, but he hasn't seen action by the federal government when it comes to the climate crisis.

The Green candidate for Kitchener-Conestoga says if elected, he would keep pressure on the government to keep their promises and refine their plans to ensure progress when it comes to meeting targets on climate change.

"We need to stop focusing on just simply the appearance of doing something and actually getting things done," he said during a panel discussion with CBC Kitchener-Waterloo.

"We need to make sure that if we're going to address this problem that we are serious minded about it and that we pursue the best alternatives available to us to make sure that we are making the best use of the money available to us."

Bradley noted one promise by the Liberals — to plant two billion trees in the span of a decade — has not been started yet.

Liberal incumbent Tim Louis said his party has made a difference when it comes to climate. The Liberals put a price on pollution, banned single-use plastics, supported green technology, pledged to plant trees, grew the electric vehicle charging station system and worked with the agriculture sector to find nature-based solutions that protects environment and sequester carbon dioxide.

"We've got a concrete plan," Louis said. "We have to take action now and we're doing so."

For NDP candidate Narine Dat Sookram, the climate crisis is not an issue for one party.

"We know we cannot do it alone," he said.

But, he said, the transitions necessary to move to a green economy needs to ensure no one is left behind.

"We cannot feed off an empty bucket. So what that means is, we have to make sure that people can live their lives and not having to worry how they're going to make their payment for rent, we have to make sure that we take care of those basic needs and have a good foundation," he said.

"Once we have that good foundation, which we have a plan in place of course to take care of people, then of course we are going to build."

Conservatives, PPC would get rid of carbon tax

Conservative candidate Carlene Hawley declined an invitation to be part of the CBC K-W panel. In a panel with the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce, she said the Conservatives had a plan to address climate change "without doing it on the backs of working Canadians and sacrificing our economy. If we don't have a strong economy, we can't fix the climate change."

She said the Conservatives would replace the carbon tax with a carbon credit program, they would support the development of technology to improve environmental impacts, and that Canada needs "to stand up to major polluters like China."

People's Party of Canada candidate Kevin Dupuis says on his website that his party, too, would "abolish the Liberal government's carbon tax and leave it to provincial governments to adopt programs to reduce emissions if they want to."

The party would also end subsidies for green technology, Dupuis' website says, "and let private players develop profitable and efficient alternatives."

Local infrastructure funding

The riding of Kitchener-Conestoga covers four municipalities within Waterloo region: part of Kitchener and the townships of Woolwich, Wellesley and Wilmot. Earlier in the election, CBC Kitchener-Waterloo asked local mayors what their top priorities are from the next federal government and they noted infrastructure and economic recovery as being top issues.

Dat Sookram says if elected, he would work to understand what projects need to get done and then speak up in Ottawa.

"I will be their voice," he said in a panel discussion. "I will do whatever needs to be done to make sure we have the funding to cover those costs."

Bradley said the federal government should look at reforms to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and the Canadian Infrastructure Bank that would benefit municipalities.

"There's a great deal more that we could be doing with the mandate of the Canadian Infrastructure Bank to facilitate loans to municipalities," he said, noting that by law, municipalities cannot run deficits.

"We should be using this tool at our disposal to make low interest or no interest loans available to municipal governments so that they can proceed with projects like social housing."

Louis said while serving as MP he was in regular contact with local mayors and politicians about the needs in the community.

He said the gas tax funding was doubled during the pandemic - something that was welcomed by municipal leaders.

"I know the needs, I actually have lists of projects and I've been at the table getting funding," he said.

The candidates running in Kitchener-Conestoga are, in alphabetical order by last name:

• Owen Bradley, Green Party of Canada.
• Narine Dat Sookram, New Democratic Party.
• Kevin Dupuis, People's Party of Canada.
• Carlene Hawley, Conservative Party of Canada.
• Tim Louis, Liberal Party of Canada.

Voters go to the polls Sept. 20.

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