Federal election candidates addressed a variety of issues at the first of two all candidates meetings on the Sunshine Coast this week.
On Monday afternoon, Coast residents packed the Gibsons Heritage Playhouse to hear from eight of the nine candidates in the riding of West Vancouver - Sunshine Coast - Sea to Sky Country.
The April 18 meeting was hosted by the Gibsons Chamber of Commerce and co-sponsored by Coast Reporter, Sunshine Coast COSCO, the Sechelt Activity Centre and CKAY FM Radio. Candidates were given two minutes to answer questions posed by CKAY news director and moderator Sean Eckford.
While the afternoon was geared to address issues affecting seniors, the questions turned out to be relevant to voters of all ages, raising topics such as small business, retirement and pensions, child care, oil tanker traffic and fish farms.
While forerunning and politically savvy candidates such as incumbent Conservative MP John Weston, Liberal Dan Veniez and New Democrat Terry Platt dominated the debate and answered the questions with ease, Green Party candidate Brennan Wauters seemed right at home alongside the higher profile candidates. Wauters answered the questions clearly and concisely while exemplifying the Green Party's environmental platform and promoting proportional representation.
The forum also provided lesser-known candidates the chance to participate for the first time and deliver their party's platform.
Doug Hartt of the Canadian Action Party expressed strong views on oil tanker traffic on the B.C. coastline, stating his opposition to the tankers was his primary reason for attending the debate. He also advocated ending the influence of big banks on the economy.
Progressive Canadian Roger Lagassé's key issue was bringing Canadian troops home from Afghanistan, saying the money spent there would be much better spent tackling issues at home in Canada.
Tunya Audain of the Libertarian Party and Allan Holt of the Western Block Party expressed similar views on the need for smaller government. Audain advocated freedom of the individual and is a supporter of home education, while Holt answered questions in short form while maintaining his party's platform of less government interference.
While all parties expressed different views on child care, retirement and pension issues, the majority of candidates agreed on oil tanker moratoriums and closed container fish farms.
Weston emphasized the Con-servative Party's stringent rules on oil tankers and outlined possible economic consequences from a tanker moratorium. He also recommended closed container fish farms and stressed the importance of environmental innovation as the key to future success.
Platt, Veniez and Weston outlined their party's platforms and each cited the heads of their parties as being able to provide exemplary leadership that affect all Canadians.
Mudslinging did take place towards the forum's end, particularly between the candidates of the three large parties. Weston relied on numbers in his arguments and referred to spending by the Liberals and New Democrats as "flamboyant."
"Canadians don't want an election," Weston said, prompting a mixed reaction from the audience.
Platt and Veniez quickly retorted.
"The Conservatives attack and never debate substance," Veniez said.
Platt also questioned the ability to trust Conservative Party leader Stephen Harper, and advocated the NDP as practical and honest government.
One issue all candidates firmly agreed on, however, was the importance of getting people out to vote, which all audience members applauded in support.
