Donald Teuma-Castelletti
CAMPBELL’S BAY Sept. 13, 2018
Five candidates vying for the Pontiac MNA’s seat participated in a bilingual forum last Thursday evening at the Campbell’s Bay Recreation Association.
With three questions from the organizers focusing on healthcare, the economy and population growth, plus additional questions from the audience, candidates answered how they would best serve the Pontiac riding.
Participating in the forum was: Roger Fleury of the Green Party of Quebec; André Fortin of the Quebec Liberal Party; Olive Kamanyana of the Coalition avenir Quebec (CAQ); Louis Lang of the Marxist-Leninist Party of Quebec; and Julia Wilkie of Quebec solidaire.
The first question posed read, “A recent study by the Institut de recherché et d’informations socioéconomiques (IRIS) has found that the healthcare system in the Outaouais is underfunded by more then $250 million a year when compared to similarly-sized regions of the province. If you are elected as MNA and your party forms the government, what steps would your party take to address this gap to ensure that the Pontiac receives its’ fair share of funding?”
Fleury said that the question was worded wrong and that the Pontiac had been robbed, explaining that the amount listed was a drop in the bucket in what they should be owed.
“What we need is accountability and transparency,” said Fleury.
He suggested that there are too many bureaucrats messing with the Shawville healthcare system, and that it has been gutted in favour of poorer quality services in Gatineau.
Kamanyana said that a CAQ government would mean CLSCs work closer to people living in rural areas.
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“We will ensure that ambulances work, we will ensure that waiting times to get an ambulance is as normal as in the urban areas,” she said.
Fortin said that the IRIS study doesn’t account for the roughly $100 million spent by the provincial government on Outaouais patients who cross into Ontario for healthcare services.
“In some regards, yes, we want to bring some of that back to Quebec,” said Fortin.
However, he said that Pontiac residents do rely on specialized services, like CHEO, for many cases, and should continue to do so, as the area does give into these treatments. Fortin said that the labour issue is the bigger problem, and healthcare needs more doctors and nurses across the board.
Wilkie said that her party believes in accessing community health centres 24/7, speaking specifically of Aylmer. She also said that health services must be more accessible to rural people, based on distance.
She attacked paid parking at hospitals and also proposed her party’s universal dental care plan.
Lang said that privatization of healthcare comes with crisis in the public system, leading to major issues in being able to afford the care that is needed.
The second question read, “The Pontiac, although geographically situated favourably and also within the shadow of the National Capital, is one of the most economically disadvantaged regions in Quebec. If elected as MNA what steps would you take to help revitalize the economy of the Pontiac?
Kamanyana said that it is important to keep young people within the Pontiac, proposing to do so via the creation of jobs that are not just part-time positions.
“We’ll ensure that we remove structures, we don’t need groupe d’intervention which has been put by the liberal government,” said Kamanyana. “We need just to invest in projects, real projects.”
Fortin reiterated his roots in Quyon, acknowledging that much work is still necessary for the area. He said his party has removed structure through the economic S.W.A.T. team dedicated to the Pontiac, saying this group has allowed projects to be looked at quickly and from a different angle.
“You will hear from entrepreneurs across this region, that some of the projects that have been put forward would not have been possible without this S.W.A.T. team,” said Fortin, using the abattoir as an example.
He said that members of the S.W.A.T. team are working with contacts across Canada in an attempt to attract investors in projects and infrastructure to establish in the area.
Wilkie proposed raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, saying that doing this will usually lead to everyone’s salary raising at the same time. She said her party has $60 million in their budget to help smaller businesses adapt to this change in employment costs.
She also said her party wants a nationalized fibre optic and 5G access across Quebec, and to help agricultural projects including organic and environmentally-friendly projects.
Lang said that the government does not listen to ordinary citizens nearly enough, preferring to side with large corporations, and feeding into the economic downturn of the Pontiac.
“They are ignoring the needs of the people and basing the economy on maximum profits for the corporations,” said Lang, of the current provincial and federal governments.
He proposed that people be given more power over their politicians, and to have ways to hold their representative better accountable.
Fleury said that he agreed with much of his political opponents, in that the Pontiac needs more power over its own issues.
“We have to have the decision-making back in our hands,” he said.
He said that there needs to be greater support of English-speaking Quebec residents, across a number of areas, including court.
The third question asked, “For more than a decade, the MRC Pontiac’s population has slowly decreased to less than 14,000 people. Apart from the subject of the economy, what is the primary measure your party will be able to either help or support in regards to the region which would attract new families and enhance the quality of life for Pontiac residents?”
Fortin started with his party’s plan to increase new teacher salaries by 18 per cent, as soon as they begin working in schools, so as to ensure that schools are strong and students afforded a high quality education.
He also reiterated his party’s commitment to providing high speed internet access and cellphone coverage to every Quebecer within two years.
“Anyone can tell you the national party platform, but I’m the only candidate so far that has committed to very local issues, that can help improve the quality of life here in this region,” said Fortin, highlighting the pool project and the Villa James Shaw project.
Wilkie began by saying the Chalk River nuclear project needs to be stopped and that environmentally-friendly tourism needs to be encouraged. She also said that families would be encouraged to stay with free education across Quebec, developing community centres and increased support for young families who inherit agricultural businesses.
“We need to support people who have innovative projects, which will bring our economy forward,” said Wilkie.
Lang said that Hwy. 148 needs to be made safer, maybe not through just widening it, but through improving public transport so that there would be less cars on the road.
He also said that internet is becoming a necessity to life, railing against the companies providing the service. He advocated for better regulation of these companies.
Fleury stated his support for the pool project.
Kamanyana said that the youth would want to stay in their communities if they could continue to study here, instead of travelling outside the region or province to do so.
“We need to ensure that our kids, our young people, stay here to study here,” she said.
She also pointed to internet and cell service, plus tourism, as needs that would help to increase the population, citing her party’s platform on these topics as how they would be fixed.
In total, there were five additional questions from the audience.
A group of students from École secondaire Sieur-de-Coulonge asked how the candidates would help students like them not only afford post-secondary education, but the costs of life associated with it.
Fleury said that post-secondary education should be free.
Fred Ryan said that locals rely on community papers to receive their local news, and that the current provincial government has slashed the budget from $30 million to zero.
“Do you feel it is important to keep the 50 people working in the two papers and to keep this media on the tables of all the community?” he asked.
Kamanyana said the unemployment rate is already too high and that the loss of these jobs cannot be afforded.
“To me, it’s obvious,” said Kamanyana. “I believe in community organizations, I believe in local development, it’s what I studied, it’s what I’m interested in.”
Chris Judd asked if the English language minister position would be protected and maintained within the province.
Lang said that all language rights would be protected within the province, regardless of nationality.
“They have a right to be communicated with, in a language that they understand,” he said.
Albert Armstrong asked the candidates for their stance on separation from the rest of Canada.
Wilkie stated that Quebec solidaire is separatist and detailed how their plan would work. She said her party would create an assembly with many politicians, specialists and people of all kinds of backgrounds to draft a constitution.
“Everyone who has the right to vote will have the choice to participate in the referendum, and they’ll decide if the draft constitution … pleases them, and then you decide if you want this Quebec or not,” said Wilkie.
Finally, Bill Aitken asked candidates where they think the problems the Pontiac is associated with have come from.
Fortin said there was a lack of diversification in the local economy but that things are starting to change. He said a lot of Pontiacers were sold ideas and promises that didn’t pan out and stopped the diversification of local industries.
“I think people have to be careful about people who come into this region and sell a fake bill of goods,” said Fortin.
The event was moderated by Isabelle Gagnon in French and Todd Hoffman in English and was organized in partnership between the Pontiac Chamber of Commerce and CHIP 101.9 FM. Candidates were provided with time at the beginning for an introduction and at the end for a conclusionary statement, as well.
Candidates for the Parti Québécois, Conservative Party and the New Democratic Party of Quebec were not present for this forum.