On April 15 the Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce hosted an online candidate forum where the community could submit questions for those running to represent Grande Prairie as their next Member of Parliament.

All local candidates were present: Conservative Party of Canada Chris Warkentin, Liberal Party of Canada Maureen Mcleod, New Democratic Party Jennifer Villebrun, People's Party of Canada Shawn McLean, Parti Rhinocéros Party Donovan Eckstrom and Independent Elliot McDavid.

Eckstrom opened remarks saying the Rhinoceros party is “modern democracy's first and longest lasting satirical political party” but also spoke about political polarization, noting that it is causing division among Canadians.

“Who ultimately benefits from polarization? You obviously don't; your friends and family don't. “The only ones that do and peddle us going against each other, are established political parties who know that fear and hate will drive those donations.”

McDavid explained that he is running to ensure “Grande Prairie has a strong, honest and unwavering voice in Ottawa, a voice that listens, that leads and fights for what matters to you.”

He said he would fight for the cost of living, support for job creation, and “common sense energy policies.”

McLean said he believes the Conservative Party of Canada no longer supports conservative values. 

“(The PPC) stand for the things that strong, true conservative voters stand for.”

Mcleod said she would support a local food processing plant and an additional $30 million in agricultural market marketing. 

She also said she would double the farm guarantee limit to $1 million, support more indigenous-led projects, and increase capacity funding for indigenous communities.

Villebrun said she supports small businesses and farmers but also notes she sees those who are suffering in the community. 

“When I'm in my school, I have kids that come to me who tell me they haven't eaten in a day or two days or sometimes even three, and I don't think that's something that I as a citizen of this area can continue to live with and see in our particular community.”

She also took aim at the medical system noting that more needs to be done to address the physician shortage in Grande Prairie. She said the NDP is committed to ensuring all Canadians have access to a medical provider by 2035.

Incumbent Warkentin said he spoke with his wife before running again. He was first elected in 2006.

He said that the increased cost of living including mortgages, groceries and taxes are why he stepped forward again.

“We see a limited opportunity because of the decisions of the Liberal government to fight against the industries that are so important to our community.”

Some questions asked by the chamber were only directed at some candidate and others were open to all candidates.

Subhed: What's your plan to address housing affordability, not just for buyers, but for renters?

Warkentin said a shortage of homes led to escalating prices and that he wants to see the federal government reduce federal tax on new home purchases, noting his party would make any home purchased under $1.3 million GST exempt. 

He said a Conservative government would ask the provinces to follow suite. 

“​​This will lead to more affordability for new homes that are being built,” he said. 

NDP’s Villebrun says her party will help more Canadians own homes by having low-interest mortgages for first time home buyers, and create a national rent control system to prevent excessive rent increases and protect tenants. 

“We want to ensure that there is funding in place for nonprofit housing providers to help them acquire affordable rental properties and keep them in their hands,” she said. 

“The other part is that we are committed to building houses that deal with people on the lower income spectrum of our economy and make sure that they have access to houses that fit within their budget.”

PPC’s McLean said the issue comes from where tax dollars are utilized.

“The taxes flow from the smaller centres into the bigger centres in general, and the smaller centres are the ones that usually suffer for it.”

He said more development is needed in smaller towns to make it more attractive to immigrants and professionals so that they will live in rural areas. 

McDavid suggested that small communities need to be built for people such as college students that would not charge students. 

“With the resources we have in this country and the money that's in this country, if it goes to the right places and it's not getting sent offshore, we can do a lot for the elders and the homeless.”

Eckstrom said he is “a very strong man” and that housing was the top priority of the Rhinoceros party.

“We need to tap into our patriotism; what is more patriotic than igloos? 

“I will ensure every Canadian gets a home taking unused parking lots into igloo villages equipped with heated snow and universal ice furniture.”

Subhed: There's a lot of talk about pipelines and removing interprovincial barriers related to energy. How do you envision removing interprovincial barriers for other industry?

Mcleod said that under the Liberals' new housing proposal, Canadian softwood lumber will be used and made easy to ship between provinces. 

“We're going to work more closely with Quebec to get them to soften their stance on no pipeline, because the reason why we didn't get that pipeline built across Canada was because Quebec turned it down.”

Warkentin says it wasn’t Quebec’s fault a pipeline wasn’t built but rather the Liberal government did not advance permitting in a timely manner. 

“We know that if we could unleash the trade that is being barred from being able to go between provinces, we'd have a stronger economy than even the impacts that are now being threatened by the U.S.,” said Warkentin. 

“We know that if we unleashed that off that option, it would significantly bolster the economy here in Canada.”

McDavid said he would speak with all the premiers and that it's time for politicians to start acting like adults. 

“Parliament Hill, it's a bit of a clown show there, and nothing gets done,” he said. 

Villebrun said that the NDP would develop programs to address the disparities between the provinces and establish standarized policies so that workers could easily travel between provinces.

McLean said country needs to come together and work together for betterment of all. 

“We need to have the conversations,” he said.

Eckstrom reiterated that he is “a very strong man” and that national unity was the top priority of the Rhinoceros party.

“We're going to restore this and get through these interprovincial barriers by duct taping Alberta and Ontario together and hoping for the best,” he said.

Subhed: Closing statements

Skyrocketing government debt is impacting Canadians negatively, noted Warkentin. He noted rising costs, and higher taxes from the federal government in the past decade, and said crime also is increasing due to “catch and release policies”.

“I am running to protect the future of the future generations. 

“Over the last 10 years, we've witnessed the Liberals now, with the help of the NDP, really devastate the opportunities that we here, the peaceful country, have enjoyed.”

McLean spoke to conservative voters telling them to give the PPC a chance as its values had not shifted left. 

“People are talking about vote splitting, it's just not true, because you got to have two right wing parties in order to split the right vote, and the Conservative Party of Canada is not doing that, and that's why I left, and that's why 840,000 voted for the PPC in the last election, and I'm trusting that we're going to see an increase in that as well.”

McLean claims the Liberals are corrupt and the CPC were not an effective opposition party. 

McDavid said Canadians need to unite.

“Government should lead by example, be transparent, accountable, responsive, and I'm committed to honesty, strength and courage, community based leadership that ensures public funds are put in the right place,” he said.

Mcleod said a Liberal government would invigorate the local economy by providing financial assistance to farmers, apprentices, indigenous projects, and expanding the softwood lumber industry. She also noted Carney removing the carbon tax shows his “astute and pragmatic approach to the ever-changing needs of Canadians.”

“Grande Prairie needs an MP who has the ear of Prime Minister Carney,” she said.

Villebrun said everyone wants to see lower taxes and affordable housing.

“Both the Liberals and the Conservatives have had many years in power to show what they can do with that. It might be time to try something new, and the reason that I've joined with the NDP is because they are a party that believes that collectively, we are stronger than we are separate.”

Eckstrom took the opportunity to expand on his plans if elected. 

“The fact is, the lobbying act and federal accountability act have loopholes bigger than the combined hair plug budget of Poilievre and Carney.”

He said he would change it so that ethics and lobbying watchdogs were not appointed by Cabinet but rather an independent body.  

“The established political parties have no motivation or want to change, and I will work my ass off to ensure these loopholes are closed.”

The forum is available online at the Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce YouTube channel. 

Advance voting polls opened Good Friday; election day is Monday.