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1. What is the major local issue(s) in this campaign and how will you deal with it if elected? 2. This riding, and others, are struggling to find funds for much-needed infrastructure. What would you and your party do to help these communities? 3. Halton Hills is facing tremendous growth pressure under the provincial Places to Grow Plan. As a potential federal representative, what are your personal thoughts on how our town should deal with growth? Municipal infrastructure fund- ing, repairs and upgrades to our transportation and transit sys- tem, sustainable land use and prevention of urban sprawl, sup- port for our farmers by a restruc- tured pricing system, green tax shift that shifts taxes away from your income and onto polluters and working towards a universal child care program to help out families. Ive spoken with a lot of peo- ple at corner stores, country fairs and at their door. Theyre wor- ried about keeping their jobs, the economy and whether the cur- rent government is working in their best interests. If given the opportunity to work on behalf of the people of Wellington-Halton Hills I would draw on my experience and suc- cesses in business. I would work to protect our manufacturing jobs, invest in new innovations, and give Canadians a tax break to help restore confidence in our leadership and our economy. The economy is on the minds of many. Our government has already acted to assist manufacturers by allowing companies to depreciate new equipment over two years and by reducing corporate taxes. We are also proposing to reduce fuel taxes, by cutting the diesel excise tax in half. This will partially offset rapidly rising oil prices by reducing trans- portation costs, thereby keeping down the price of consumer goods and strengthening our economy at this time of global uncertainty. The environment is equally an issue. Governments need to take greater action on the environment and Ill continue to make this a pri- ority. The biggest issue is now the farce that is playing out in Washington. I will make sure the the savings, pensions, homes and jobs of ordinary Canadians are safe and secure. The environ- ment and climate change is another issue that we would ensure that our Climate Change Accountability Act, that was adopted by Parliament in June of this year, is implemented and that big polluters pay for their pollution. The underlying issue is that Canada has lost its moral base something that allowed Canada to become a prosperous nation. If we dont hold onto this moral base, then we will lose those things that made our country great. The greatest issue we face right is the economy. Our national debt is huge and no pre- vious government has done the moral thing and paid it off. This debt should be treated as a national mortgage with a 25-30- year term. That way we dont pass on debt to our children. Comprehensive descriptions of our policy can be found at www.chp.ca. I feel strongly that financial support should be given by addi- tional federal funding programs to assist communities in transition under the Places to Grow plan. Many of our roads and bridges are falling apart, infrastructure is stretched to its breaking point and taxpayers are frustrated. Comm- unities are the lifeblood of our economy and without the proper financial resources to have man- aged sustainable growth they will continue to struggle. The Green Party of Canada will push for pro- grams like RRSP eligible municipal bonds, dedicate 1 percent of GST revenue to municipal infrastruc- ture, and an increase in the trans- fers of gas tax revenues as three of many possible solutions. A new Liberal government would aggressively invest in the backbone of our communities our roads, bridges, sewer systems and transit, all of which are sadly underfunded. A new Liberal government would invest over $70 billion in Canadas infrastructure over the next 10 years. That means new funding to improve roads in this community and to help expand GO transit service to Acton, Guelph and Kitchener. This is the kind of funding commitment that will help make it happen. Weve provided a record $60 billion for infrastructure in Canada over the next number of years, including increasing the gas tax transfer to $1.6 million a year for Halton Hills and $12.2 million a year for Halton Region. Weve also made those annual gas tax transfers permanent. But the other side of the equa- tion is that the Province of Ontario and municipalities in the GTA have got to do things differ- ently. Weve got to stop the urban sprawl that has character- ized growth in the GTA over the last 30 years and plan and build our communities sustainably environmentally and economical- ly. Invest the equivalent of one cent of the GST in increased funding of the important priori- ties of our cities and communi- ties by 2011. This will address the growing infrastructure deficit, and help cities and citi- zens avoid massive property tax increases. This will include roads and highways, public transit, public libraries, community cen- tres, sewer and water treatment facilities, expand child care and immigrant settlement. I recognize the need. I will push to do the same thing that was done very successfully, shortly after the Second World War, that also addressed the infrastructure needs at that time: The finance minister instructed the Bank of Canada to issue loans directly to municipalities at low or no interest. This created an immediate economic boom and eventually nearly all the loans were paid off. Then and this is key the Bank of Canada retired that money, so there was no inflationary effect. All the par- ties other plans hinge on creat- ing more private bank-created debt. Growth in any community should be gradual, sustainable and not become rapid urban sprawl. If we are going to have growth of the nature proposed by the Places to Grow Plan, all communities need to match the residential growth with jobs which means stimulating our local economy. Most people want to keep the small town feel that is the reason so many of us live in this area. This can be done with more Main Street style frontages and neo-traditional planning. We should follow many of the principles found in the Provincial Planning State- ment 2005 which includes more compact urban form, more local and intercity transit, and less urban sprawl. Growth is inevitable in Halton Hills and thats why it so impor- tant that we properly manage that growth to protect our com- munity and contain urban sprawl. Our quality of life depends on it. I would be a strong voice in ensuring all future growth is responsible and sustainable. Were making decisions now for our children, and their children. This is our opportunity to do it right. The province has set Halton Regions population target at 780,000 by 2031. This represents an increase of 390,000 persons from the 2001 population of 390,000, a 100% increase. While some growth is necessary, this is unbridled out-of-control growth. This approach is not sustain- able not environmentally (loss of farmland and habitat) nor eco- nomically (especially if gas climbs to $3/litre). While I acknowledge the challenge in planning the GTAs growth, the Province should have more of this population growth occur through much greater intensifi- cation of cities like Mississauga and Toronto, which have the population levels to sustain mass rapid transit systems. As much as this lies within Provincial duration I would make sure that the money is there to help with the infrastruc- ture problems such as public transit, water and sewer treat- ment facilities, affordable hous- ing and roads and highways by working with all levels of gov- ernment. First it is very important to realize that economic growth is good for Canada. It is inevitable. However, we have prime farm- land which hangs in the balance. Therefore I would approve of rules that encourage suburbs to grow denser rather than spread out so much. The Places to Grow Plan appears to me to promote excessive growth and I would stand by our local councillors in resisting it until the necessary infrastructure is in place. Lets fix what weve already got, first. BRENT BOUTEILLER (GREEN PARTY) BRUCE BOWSER (LIBERAL) MICHAEL CHONG (CONSERVATIVE) NOEL DUIGNAN (NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY) JEFFREY STREUTKER (CHRISTIAN HERITAGE PARTY) Q&A ...with the candidates Acton/Georgetown, Friday, October 3, 2008 9