Local federal election candidates talk about goals for upcoming election

by Sarah Cooke

BELLEVILLE – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau officially dropped the writ on Sept. 11, and local party candidates state that they have much to do before the federal election on Oct. 21.

Tim Durkin, the candidate for the Bay of Quinte Conservative Party, held a campaign kickoff party  Sept. 13, at their campaign headquarters in downtown Belleville.

Amidst blue balloons and ribbons, Durkin said he believed he could make a difference.

“The biggest concern people have right now is that they’re getting by but they’re not getting ahead,” he said in an interview after his speech.

“The Conservative Party absolutely believes in climate change,” said Tim Durkin at his campaign kickoff  Sept. 13. Photo by Sarah Cooke, QNet News.

When asked on how he planned to tackle the issue locally, the former radio broadcaster said that the Conservative Party looks to make changes to maternity benefits, taxes on home heating, eliminating the carbon tax and bringing more jobs to Canada.

“When you give money to the government, not all of it can go to services, but if you leave more money in people’s pockets, it helps them at the end of the day,” the 34-year-old candidate said.

Stephanie Bell, 30, attended “Pizza and Politics” at Loyalist College Sept. 11. Photo by Brittany Woodcock, QNet News

Stephanie Bell, 30, the local candidate for the NDP, said the three most important issues facing Canadians are: climate change, affordable housing and a universal drug plan for everyone in Canada.

She said she plans on addressing these issues by “working in tandem with programs that we implement through getting elected, creating jobs through green projects and infrastructure that lower our carbon footprint and combining that with social justice issues like healthcare.”

On a local scale, that means raising awareness about those programs and making them accessible to people, she said.

The slogan for the Green Party candidate, Danny Cevlovsky, is “time for action.”

“We can’t just kick this can down the road anymore, time’s up,” said Cevlovsky, 61, regarding climate change. Photo by Sarah Cooke, QNet News

The 61-year-old says climate change is the number one issue and that Canada needs leadership that is ready to act.

“I’m not here to debate what the problems are, we know what they are. I’m not here to examine the solutions, we know what the solutions are. Now we just need the courage to act,” said Cevlovsky, a local business owner.

“My purpose for being here is to act,” he added.

QNet News reached out to the People’s Party of Canada and Liberal candidates but have not heard back from either party at this time.