While 13 candidates in total are on the ballots for both area ridings, only four participated in a forum held in Chatham Wednesday, despite just a week to go in the campaign.
Hosted in Studio 1 of the Cultural Center by the Chatham-Kent Chamber of Commerce and the YconneCKt group, the event welcomed Chatham-Kent—Leamington candidates Brock McGregor (NDP), Rick Nicholls (Ontario Party) and Rhonda Jubenville (New Blue), and Lambton—Kent—Middlesex candidate Vanessa Benoit (NDP).
Prepared questions were posed to the panel that touched on such issues as business recovery in the wake of the pandemic, affordability, housing and jobs.
McGregor said his party would offer additional rounds of recovery grants to provide assistance to struggling businesses.
“Supporting businesses is about creating an environment where people are thriving,” he said. “We’re not going to raise taxes on small or medium businesses.”
Nicholls, who previously represented the Progressive Conservatives until he was kicked out of caucus for refusing to provide proof of vaccination, said businesses in the riding were “hit pretty hard” during COVID-19.
“Many of them are just barely hanging on,” he said. “Some of them, unfortunately, are not around anymore. We need to provide opportunities to get business back in the area.”
Benoit said a higher minimum wage would encourage people to rejoin the workforce, adding there would be financial supports provided by an NDP government for businesses.
“We know there can sometimes be difficulty with the transition,” she said, “and the NDP has supports in place to help with that.”
Jubenville said her party has pledged to remove all industrial wind turbines as a cost savings, as well as reduce the HST from 13 per cent to 10 per cent.
“(And) we intend not to close down small businesses ever again,” she said.
For stemming the cost of housing, Nicholls believes promoting urban planning reform and cracking down on foreign investors would help.
Benoit called it important to close the gaps in programs, as well as boost investment in social housing. McGregor called housing a top issue in this campaign, noting that people usually decide where they want to live based on the cost.
Jubenville said much of housing is driven by federal policy, believing there needs to be more responsible immigration.
Those on the panel also discussed inflation, the impact of high fuel costs and energy prices, health-care sustainability, and ensuring the needs of Southwestern Ontario residents aren’t ignored.
The other candidates running in Chatham-Kent—Leamington include Audrey Festeryga (Liberal), Trevor Jones (Progressive Conservative) and Jennifer Surerus (Green).
Others running in Lambton—Kent—Middlesex are Bruce Baker (Liberal), David Barnwell (New Blue), Wanda Dickey (Green), Dean Eve (None of the Above), Monte McNaughton (Progressive Conservative) and Aaron Istvan Vegh (Ontario Party ).
YourTV Chatham-Kent will rebroadcast the candidate forum in its entirety at a later date. The provincial election takes place June 2.