Kitchener-Waterloo

Climate change, healthcare and 'tone' of election among top issues in Baden, voters say

Voters in Waterloo region shared their top concerns for the upcoming federal election during a coffee shop talk with CBC Kitchener-Waterloo at the Baden Coffee Company.

CBC Kitchener-Waterloo hosts coffee shop talk to hear directly from local voters

Craig Norris, right, is host of The Morning Edition on CBC Kitchener-Waterloo. On Wednesday, he went to the Baden Coffee Company to hear what concerns and issues people have in this federal election. (Kate Bueckert/CBC)

Climate change, healthcare and the "tone" of election are top of mind for some voters in and around Baden, Ont.

CBC Kitchener-Waterloo visited Baden Coffee Company to hear directly from voters on Wednesday. 

The environment is a top concern of John Sewell of Stratford. He says he's voted Liberal in the past, but this time, he's considering a vote for the Green Party.

"I don't think [Liberal Leader] Justin [Trudeau] has got it right, between Indigenous people and pipelines," he said.

"It's been a bit of a conflict, and I really like [Green Party Leader] Elizabeth May — the way she presents. And so I'm thinking Green, even though it might be a lost vote."

Catherine says when she was a child, her parents never discussed politics with their friends. During this election, she's been talking about the issues with her friends and she says she's glad people are open and willing to have those conversations. (Teghan Beaudette/CBC)

The environment and climate change was a major concern of the people who spoke to Craig Norris, host of The Morning Edition during the coffee shop talk.

For a woman named Kim from Petersburg, LGBTQ rights were a major concern.

Lloyd Koch of New Hamburg said health care is important to him but he's also been concerned with the tone of the election.

He said he watched the debate and found the political sparring "disturbing."

"I found it very noisy, very angry," he said. "Reminds me of the kind of wedge issues and the personal slams that the U.S. has done in spades. And I think we're starting to pick-up that spade."

You can hear Craig Norris's conversation with voters here:

Voters talked about issues important to them in this election and those included the environment, healthcare, social justice issues and the tone of the campaign. (Teghan Beaudette/CBC)