By Lyonel Doherty

South Okanagan-West Kootenay candidates put it all on the table in Oliver recently.

The all-candidates forum at Frank Venables Theatre saw them give the following opening remarks:

Liberal candidate Connie Denesiuk said she is a bold and effective leader who has repeatedly been elected locally and chosen by 60 school boards in the province to lead as their president.

“I successfully brought together rural and urban voices to stand up for B.C. students with unity and strength.”

Denesiuk said she knows how to get things done and she never forgets whose interests and voices she represents. 

She noted that replacing aging infrastructure is a key priority, particularly in Oliver with the urgent need for the siphon irrigation system. 

“The current MP (Richard Cannings) has been ineffective in securing the needed funding and support. I, on the other hand, will champion infrastructure investment, will keep knocking on the minister’s door until the siphon project upgrade moves ahead with federal support.”

Denesiuk said the Liberal vision for Canada is strengthening the economy and investing in Canadians, while taking serious action on climate change. 

Conservative candidate Helena Konanz said her team has knocked on nearly 30,000 doors and plans to knock on 40,000 doors by election day.

After talking to all of those people, they found out the number one issue is affordabililty, she pointed out.

Konanz challenged the opening statement that Denesiuk made about supporting the siphon project.

“Why isn’t there a siphon project when we have a Liberal government? Why hasn’t that been made a priority?”

She added that Cannings has not been able to get the funding needed for this project. 

Konanz noted the Conservatives will make life more affordable by creating a universal tax cut of $850 per person and taking the GST off home heating bills.

She said parental benefits will be tax free under the Conservatives, and they will raise the age credit for seniors to $1,000, equalling about $350 per year per couple.

“These will be real results for your family; it’s time to get ahead.”

Richard Cannings admitted that politics was never a part of his life’s plan. He was a biologist/ecologist during his working career, working at the University of BC for 17 years.

He had his own business for 20 years and wrote a dozen books on the environment. “I had a great life, it was a good life and then about six years ago I entered politics, and it’s still a good life.”

Cannings said he entered politics to be a voice of science in Ottawa. Since he was elected as MP, he was vice-chair of the Natural Resources Committee in the House of Commons, tabled six private members bills, and managed to get three of them brought into practice. 

One of his bills, inspired by Structurlam in Okanagan Falls, encouraged the government to use more wood in federal infrastructure, which helped the forest industry and the goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Cannings said he helped bring millions in infrastructure funding to the riding, and $20 million to help rebuild Grand Forks after its flood. 

Sean Taylor from the People’s Party of Canada is 46 years old. He has been a soldier since 2002 and an emergency nurse since 2005. Now he’s “looking for a job.”

In 2015 he started paying attention to what was going on and began investing in the Canadian energy sector. “The more I paid attention to what was going on, the more concerned I became.”

In searching for answers, he came across Maxime Bernier, the leader of the People’s Party of Canada. 

“For the first time in my life, I found a Canadian politician that was saying things that resonated with me. It was with a French accent and it confused me because that’s not usually where I look for the voice of reason in Canadian politics.” 

Taylor said the People’s Party is the fastest growing political party in Canadian history.

He noted that three things brought him to the party – sovereignty, the economy and the environment. 

“Our immigration policy right now is out of control. We are a country that requires immigration to make the economic wheels turn here, but we have to do it for the benefit of Canadians.” 

Taylor said his party has the best tax plan of all parties by abolishing corporate welfare and killing the carbon tax.

Green Party candidate Tara Howse said she is running on a platform of transparency and accountability.

“The SNC Lavalin affair was my tipping point for getting into politics, but not the first scandal we’ve seen in parliament.”

Howse said she has been watching the erosion of democracy for decades as a result of increased corporate influences at the decision-making table. 

But Howse said it’s not about a particular party or individual, it’s the system in place. “As a Green MP, I can guarantee you that the constituent’s need will come before corporate greed.” 

Howse said she is encouraged to work across party lines to get the job done.

She has a background in social science, social justice and criminal justice. 

“I’ve cycled the country and hiked across the Northwest Territories; I’ve seen the best this country has to offer.”