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What is the number one issue in Oakville?Throughout the election campaignTheOakville Beaver wiJames Ede - NDPll be asking candi-dates in the Oakville and Halton ridings toIn my opinion, the number one respond to a weekly question. Responsesissue in Oakville is affordability. form the Oakville candidates will appear inOther parties talk about the the Wednesday edition and responses fromeconomy, but what really matters is whether people can afford the things the Halton candidates will appear in thethey need.Thursday edition. For the first question weLife keeps getting harder for asked "What is the most important issue inordinary people. Their debt is Oakville?"increasing, the cost of housing, food, and utilities keeps increasing, but their incomes arent keeping up. Now the HST has been added Max Khan - Liberalsonto their hydro and heating bills. Our biggest need is a govern-expert management of the econo-Young people are graduating with ment we can trust. The simple my while spending more than anyhuge debt, but the good jobs they James Edetruth is we're having an election previous government. Rememberhope for are disappearing. Its as if now because the Harper govern-the lies about the census? Bevwere in a vice, and every year it Promoting investment in realment has demonstrated it does not Oda? Four senior Conservativesjust gets tighter, and it doesnt job creation, rather than just hand-deserve our trust. For the first time facing possible jail time? Fudgingseem like the government cares. ing money over to large corpora-in the history of this country and crime statistics to justify new jails?The NDP will ensure the econo-tions. the Commonwealth, the govern-Hiding the costs of new fightermy works for people, not the other Reducing tuition, and increas-ment has lost the confidence of jets? Is this a government to beway around, by taking the follow-ing grants, not loans, to ensureParliament by being found in con-trusted? No.ing actions to improve affordabili-every student can afford their edu-tempt not once but three times. Canadians expect governancety:cation. When Harper's Conservatives for the betterment of our sharedTaking the HST off home heat-Finally, we will strengthen ourcame to power in 2006, they country, communities, prioritiesing, a basic necessity in a country public pension system, so everypromised open, fiscally compe-and future, but this governmentlike Canada. senior receives a livable income. tent, transparent and ethical gov-has its own agenda and none of usProviding stable, adequate fund-The NDP is committed to aMax Khanernment. They have failed on all knows what it is. What does it saying for health care, so local govern-more caring, just and sustainablecounts.when the Prime Minister ordersments arent forced to pay for hos-Canada, where all Canadians canThis government forgets it answersRemember the word proroga-officials to refer to the Canadianpitals through property taxes. enjoy a life with dignity and secu-to Parliament, not the other waytion?" That was our Prime government as "The HarperEstablishing a national child-rity. Together, we can take practi-around. But the Harper minorityMinister's arrogant answer to a Government"? If we can't evencare program that is affordable for cal first steps towards making thisgovernment has hidden the costsParliament that disagreed with trust them to govern in the nameworking families. vision a reality.of its programs, bragged about itshim. And he did it twice.of Canada, its time for a change.Terence Young - ConservativesAndrew Chlobowski - Green PartyThe most important issue in Our cozy suburban lives into invest in efficient public transitOakville is the same issue across all Oakville are very energy intense.within the GTA. The federal govern-of Canada: Why are we having an Considering our cavernous housesment must enforce much stricterunnecessary and opportunistic elec-to heat and cool, as well as the longfuel efficiency requirements for thetion now at a cost of $ 342 million? commuting distances to our workvehicles sold in Canada. Federal andThis is the worst possible time to places, we are incredibly sensitive toprovincial household energy effi-be talking about the coalition par-the inevitable oil, gas and electricityciency programs must be continuedties unreal plans for tens of billions price hikes. and expanded, to help us all makeof unaffordable new entitlement Most of our houses are not verythe transition to energy-lean hous-programs requiring tens of billions well insulated, and do not have highing. Finally, the federal governmentof dollars in new taxes.efficiency furnaces, tight, energymust stop subsidizing big oil andWe have just seen what happens efficient windows, or energy effi-mining corporations, and startto countries that continually spend cient appliances.investing in renewable energy devel-more and tax more Greece, Without a car, we cannot getopment in order to shield us fromPortugal and Ireland: massive Terence Youngaround Oakville efficiently. It may bethe high energy prices of theAndrew Chlobowskiunemployment, bankruptcy, and possible to commute to work with-future.than replaced at 480,000 new jobs,great hardship.involve spending huge amounts of out a car if it happens to be close toWith their support for the Alberta75 per cent of them full time. OurFour hundred young people leave money on heating, lighting and driv-a GO station in Hamilton, Burlington,tar sands and an outdated vision of budget will be balanced again byIreland every week just to find a job. ing.Mississauga or Toronto, but if youthe future, neither the Conservatives2015. We have the most stable bank-If we went on a wild Liberal/NDP/For many of us, life in Oakville work anywhere else, you surelynor the Liberals can be trusted to doing system in the world. Weve justBloc coalition spending spree, this will become impossible. People will require a vehicle to get there.the job. The NDP cannot be trustedhad six straight quarters of growth.could happen in Canada. Swedens start moving out, property prices When fuel prices rise due to theireither, being late followers of GreenWe are pursuing free trade with 50tax rates would devastate our econo-will fall, and we will watch aban-shortages, and when (not if, butParty ideas and prone to abandoncountries the Liberals neglected,my.doned properties pop up in even the when) global climate change pre-them, as was the case in Britishincluding India, China and the EU.Stephen Harper is a brilliant best neighbourhoods. vention begins to be taken seriouslyColumbia during the last electionCanada is poised for tremendouseconomist who has steered Canada We must start working on this and carbon taxes or emission capsthere.growth, if and only if we keep onthrough the recession as the first issue now, so when difficult times are implemented, we might findOnly the Green Party is able totrack towards a balanced budgetcountry to come out of recession, come we are prepared. All levels of ourselves in precarious financial cir-make the transition to a low energywith our low tax plan for more jobswith the highest growth of the G7, government, including federal, need cumstances. Such a situation wouldeconomy happen.and economic growth. and all of the 400,000 jobs lost more www.insideHALTON.com OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, April 6, 2011 12