The candidates in Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge met for the first debate of the federal election campaign on Thursday evening, April 10.
There were some clashes between Conservative incumbent Marc Dalton and Liberal candidate Angie Rowell, whose parties are in a close race to form government. The NDP's Daniel Heydenrych warned against Canada falling into a two party system, while Rhinocerous Party candidate Peter Buddle added some levity – like solving the housing crisis with igloos.
Chris Lehner of the People's Party of Canada did not make it to the event at the Maple Ridge Seniors Activity Centre.
There were laughs and frequent loud cheers from an audience of approximately 200 people.
Heydenrych got a big round of applause early for stating his position on the health care system: "Health care has to remain a human right in Canada, we we have to make sure that we don't end up with an American Style pay for service health care system," he said.
He also spoke about the need to train more health care practitioners.
On the same issue Dalton recalled a "sad joke."
"If you have to go to emergency, don't call an ambulance, call an Uber driver, " he said. "I've been taken by Uber drivers, and they are doctors. There are 20,000 doctors and 35,000 nurses who are unable to practice."
He said the Conservative party would bring a blue seal program to help qualify and upgrade medical practitioners.
The event was hosted by the Climate Hub, who asked each party's positions climate change.
"I think we're all in agreement Canada is facing a climate emergency, and we have to act with urgency and ambition," said Rowell. "Our planet's future depends on drastically reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, and accelerating the shift to clean, renewable energy."
She said wind, solar and green hydrogen are part of the solution, as well as electrifying transportation, and making communities more walk-able .
Dalton said it was good to get rid of the carbon tax.
"It was a tax plan, not an environmental plan," he said.
Dalton touted exporting Canadian natural gas, and said if half of India's electricity demands over the next 20 years were met by natural gas instead of coal, global emissions would be reduced by 2.5 billion tonnes, or about three times Canada's total emissions for a year.
Heydenrych was critical of government funds going to the Trans Mountain Pipeline, and called for the elimination of subsidies for oil and gas companies. He also called for an east-west electrical grid.
Dalton noted the Kinder Morgan pipeline would have been built by the company for $9 billion at no cost to taxpayers, but the government bought the pipeline and spent $40 billion on the project.
On the housing crisis, the Rhino was the first speaker.
"You can build an igloo in an afternoon, so I think that would probably cover a lot of our problems," said Buddle, generating a lot of laughter.
"Not with climate change," called a woman from the audience.
Rowell said the Liberal platform is to provide prefabricated houses "like we did after World War Two."
"With the government committing to providing houses in this way, we're going to make a real difference," she said.
Heydenrych said the NDP would address renovictions and price gouging.
"Me and my wife, we couldn't even buy in our neighbourhood now, because the prices have nearly doubled in the few years that we've been there," he said. "It's becoming unacceptable at this point, and it's pricing young people out of the market."
Candidates were asked for their perspectives about the military action Israel is taking against Gaza.
"It has become a genocide – targeting schools, targeting hotels, targeting hospitals – it's genocide, without a doubt, " said Heydenrych, who was the director of security for the Jewish community in B.C., adding Palestine should be recognized as a state.
Dalton accused the Liberals of not taking a stance on the issue.
"Conservatives stand for democracy," he said. "We can't forget on Oct. 7, 1,200 people were killed, butchered – babies, children, women – we can't forget that. Israel has a right to defend itself, it is a democracy, we support that. Keep in mind also, that is the only democracy in the Middle East."
Candidates will next meet at a debate on April 22 at the Whonnock Lake Centre, sponsored by the Maple Ridge Teachers' Association at 6:30 p.m.
That will be a followed by a final all-candidates meeting on April 24, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Meadowridge School, hosted by the Ridge Meadows Chamber of Commerce.
For a full video of the debate, see the Maple Ridge Climate Hub Facebook Page.
