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From The Red River Valley Echo
Close to 35 people showed up to a Saturday morning town hall forum in Altona, with Portage-Lisgar MP Candice Hoeppner.
The surprised Ottawa entourage had to put out more chairs to hold the people in attendance. And while most appeared to be Conservative supporters, they were not afraid to ask Candice some tough questions.
In fact Candice faced inquiries about issues ranging from past statements, to budget and financial issues, and some very specific topics.
Although final approval of the budget was still pending as of the March 7 meeting, Hoeppner said she’s confident it will go through. “I just want to say how pleased I am with the work we’ve been able to do in Ottawa,” she said. “I think the opposition wants to see the budget go through. There are good people in Ottawa, even in the opposition.”
Budget and the deficit
Local producer, Jake Hildebrand was the first to offer a word of caution to the spending plan. “I’m always of the opinion, you cannot borrow yourself out of debt,” he said. “You have to work yourself out of debt.”
Hoeppner agreed that it doesn’t feel good to have the country go into a deficit.
“We are the party of balanced budgets,” she said. “I think we are the people of balanced budgets. To see the government go into debt so quickly is disturbing.”
But Hoeppner added it is the only option right now. She credited past governments for being fiscally responsible. “The Liberals and Conservatives together over the last 15 years have put Canada in a good position,” she said.
Seeing the money go to the big car makers also rubbed some the wrong way. “The top 20 per cent will waste the money given and the bottom 80 per cent will pay for it,” Dick Hildebrand said. “I think it’s a flat-out waste of money.”
George Wiebe agreed saying the trend to purchasing foreign made cars, or to outsource auto parts has created the issue.
“I believe the automotive industry in North America is doomed,” he said. “I think they’re a dinosaur and we’re just waiting for it to die.”
Childish behaviour
It wasn’t just the economy that grabbed people’s attention. Many were upset with how politicians act in the House of Commons. Rosenfeld’s Ray Klippenstein was not pleased about attack ads that are said to be planned for spring, to criticize the Liberals. “I know that’s what you do in politics, but it stinks really,” he said. “Why can’t you honour each other?”
Hoeppner said she is proud of how Prime Minister Stephen Harper handles himself in the face of the opposition’s childish antics, but she would not make any promises about making change. “I can only be responsible for myself,” she said. “I don’t know if we’re going to stop it. We are really making an effort.”
She was coy about the attack ads, andhesitated to say if she supports her government’s tactics. “We call it telling the truth about our opponent,” she said.
Harper as PM
Not everyone in attendance was impressed with Harper. David Wiebe said releasing the economic statement that inflamed the other parties was not smart. “I don’t know if the prime minister realizes how much credibility he lost,” Wiebe said. “You don’t poke someone in the eye when you don’t have a majority.” But Hoeppner said close to 70 per cent of Canadians agreed with that economic statement. John Dyck pointed out the coalition was legal, and said having the government call it a “coup” was wrong and irresponsible. “That’s trying to mislead people,” he said. “I expect more from my government.”
RM of Rhineland Reeve John Falk was in attendance to ask about the infrastructure money that’s supposed to be made available for projects that are ready to start. “When can we tap into this funding?” he asked.
Altona Mayor Mel Klassen agreed. “We’ve got projects that are spade ready,” he said. “We’ve had these projects on the table for six to seven months. We just need them desperately.”
Hoeppner agreed there is an urgency required. She said to help the economy, they can’t afford to wait much longer. “If we can’t get this money out in the next three months, we’ve lost our opportunity.”
And when that money comes, Emerson MLA Cliff Graydon told Hoeppner the government should make it specific funding, instead of trusting provincial governments to share the wealth. “Sometimes the trickle down effect doesn’t work,” he said. “In this particular province, the trickle down doesn’t seem to make it outside the perimeter.”
Hoeppner told the group she agreed, saying she does not support funding for a new stadium in Winnipeg. She did say the NDP should be focusing on necessities such as some of the overcrowded schools and other urgent needs in southern Manitoba.
“Maybe we don’t vote for them, but that cannot be the issue,” she said. “It goes back to doing the right thing.” |
