Many seniors attended the recent all-candidates meeting at the Oliver Community Centre. Photo by Lyonel Doherty
Everything from poverty to health care was covered at the all-candidates meeting held in Oliver last week.
The forum to address seniors’ issues was hosted by the Wine Country Retired Teachers’ Association.
The first question: What is your position on doctor-assisted dying?
Liberal candidate Connie Denesiuk said she personally agrees with this, but only for people who are terminally ill.
NDP candidate Richard Cannings said he also supports it, noting the Supreme Court says legislation is needed to address the issue.
Conservative candidate Marshall Neufeld did not attend the forum.
Independent candidate Brian Gray said an individual has the right to determine how and when they die. But he expressed concern about legislation “dictating” euthanasia.
Both Denesiuk and Cannings said they support funding seniors’ care in the home, which is cheaper than hospital care.
Gray said society has to be more compassionate for seniors’ care, noting the government has to expand the tax base to do that.
Another resident asked why MSP premiums are not tax deductible.
Cannings said it is a regressive tax and he is “dead-set” against it.
Denesiuk said the federal government has to start talking to the provinces about the inequities of MSP premiums across Canada.
Another concern was raised about drug costs.
Denesiuk commented that a number of seniors are over-medicated and “wrongly” medicated.
“We are one of the only nations that make citizens pay for their drugs,” she said.
Cannings said 10 per cent of Canadians cannot afford to fill their drug prescriptions.
He said the NDP will work with provinces to bring in a Pharmacare system to lower drug costs.
Nurse practitioner Jaret Blidook said the real issues are health care and support for war veterans. He prompted laughter when he began questioning the empty chair where Neufeld was supposed to be sitting.
Cannings said it boggles his mind that government is so anxious to put soldiers in harm’s way overseas and not support them adequately when they return home. “More veterans are committing suicide than dying in Afghanistan,” he quipped.
Cannings said the NDP will re-open the veterans’ contract.
Gray said Canada has done a great disservice to its veterans.
Denesiuk said the Liberals will re-open veterans offices that were previously closed by the Conservatives.
She also said the party will bring back the continuing payment option as opposed to the lump sum payment that veterans get.
Young businessman Stuart Dickinson asked what the parties would do to help small businesses in the riding.
Cannings said the NDP would drop the small business income tax from 11 to nine per cent.
Denesiuk said Canada needs to invest more money in infrastructure in order to generate more jobs.
Milton Orris from Summerland wanted to know what the parties would do since Prime Minister Stephen Harper refused to negotiate a new Health Care Accord that guaranteed transfer payments to the province.
Retired teacher Stefan Cieslik noted that $36 billion in health care transfer payments have been lost because the accord was scrapped.
Cannings said he would call a meeting to get the ball rolling on a new accord.
Anti-poverty advocate Helen Overnes wanted to know what the candidates plan to do for the poor.
“People on welfare need a basic livable wage. If they did that, we wouldn’t need food banks. We’re grinding poor people into the ground,” she said.
Overnes admitted that she couldn’t manage on welfare despite the fact she is an economical person.
Denesiuk said the Liberals plan to increase the guaranteed income supplement by 10 per cent for all seniors living alone. Investing in infrastructure will also lead to low rental housing for seniors, she added.
Cannings said the NDP has been the party for the “forgotten people” of Canada. “Working people should not live in poverty,” he stated.
Cannings said the NDP was the only party to bring forth legislation to establish a national poverty strategy, but it was defeated by the Conservative government, he noted.
Both Denesiuk and Cannings said their parties would immediately roll back the Old Age Pension requirement to 65 (after the Conservative Party increased it to 67).
Cannings said increasing the age requirement cost the poorest of seniors $13,000 over the two years.
“Seniors should not be worried about how they are going to pay their bills,” Denesiuk said.
In closing, Cannings said he is very concerned about climate change, and wants to funnel money into the lower and middle-class sectors to stimulate our “shaky” economy.
Denesiuk said Canada needs to be a national “broker of peace” and invest in young people and the environment.
Gray said he wants to offer Canadians an alternative to the status quo. Gray promotes developing the Canadian Arctic, revitalizing Canada’s space program, and withdrawing the Canadian military from NATO.
By Lyonel Doherty
