Smaller parties speak out on election issues

Kawartha Lakes Weekly/ The Lindsay Advocate has reached out to all candidates in the local riding in advance of the Feb. 27 provincial election. Over the course of the week, we have featured Progressive Conservative, NDP, Liberal and Green’s as well as all remaining parties who responded. Today, in the final installment of our series, the remaining candidates who replied are featured below. Not all candidates followed the same suggested format, or answered in a complete way.

New Blue Party

Tell me a little about yourself.

My name is Jacquie Barker and I am the candidate for the New Blue Party. My husband and I moved to this riding three months ago, from the Penetang-Midland area, where I worked in healthcare for 32 years.

Since 2021, I was the president of the New Blue Party riding association in Simcoe North, and I worked tirelessly for the party in the 2022 provincial electoral campaign. I am passionate about this party, the leaders and the policies. I believe Ontarians desperately need what we have to offer.

Why did you decide to run?

Having lived here only three months and not knowing the area or the people, I had no intention of becoming a candidate. But I couldn’t just sit back, knowing this riding had no New Blue representation. I felt internally compelled to step forward and offer my candidacy even though I lacked experience and knowledge of this area. I reminded myself that knowledge can be acquired, it’s not rocket science.

Is this election necessary? Do you accept the premise it was called under?

This election was not necessary! Doug Ford repeatedly stated that he needed a “strong mandate” from the people to deal with President Donald Trump and his proposed tariffs. That’s ridiculous. He already has a majority government; he has all the power he needs. This is what’s really going on: Ford has cozied up to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for the past three plus years and now that Trudeau is jumping ship, Ford wants to separate himself from him as quickly as possible. He wants PC supporters (and others) to believe he’s all about Ontario, and by making a big fuss about needing a strong mandate from the people, he’s hoping to distract constituents from the carnage he’s left in his wake these past three-plus years.

What are the three key issues that you believe should be discussed in this election and why?

According to the Leger Poll from the week of February 7th, the top two concerns of Ontarians are inflation and the rising cost of living and housing affordability. I’m adding healthcare to this list.

In regard to inflation and rising cost of living:

1. a) The New Blue Party supports axing the carbon tax, including the federal Liberal governments carbon tax and the Ontario Progressive Conservative industrial carbon tax and carbon pricing system.
2. b) The New Blue Party supports tax relief and cutting Ontario’s HST from 13% to 10%, with a long-term objective of scrapping the HST entirely.

In regard to housing affordability:

1. a) The New Blue Party supports Ontario having more control over its immigration, including the ability to set its own immigration levels, select its economic class immigrants and control temporary residence admissions.
2. b) The New Blue Party supports legislation providing a direct route to evict tenants within 30 days of non-payment and causing property damage.

In regard to healthcare:

1. a) The New Blue Party supports rehiring nurses and healthcare workers fired as a result of COVID-19 mandates.
2. b) The New Blue Party supports clearing the backlog of medical procedures by offering choice in healthcare services including private healthcare options. We support keeping our subsidized healthcare but also offering private healthcare for those who can afford it.

Where have you campaigned so far? What kind of reception have you got from people when you knock on their door?

I’ve had Meet and Greets in Minden and Lindsay and so far, the response has been overwhelmingly positive. Disgruntled Conservatives are looking for an alternative because Ford’s PC’s have moved away from their conservative policies and constitution. They have become Liberals in blue suits. These disenchanted constituents need a home and we are that place for them. Ninety per cent of our supporters are former Conservatives.

Based on the provincial election results of 2022, we are now the 5th largest party in Ontario and growing.

What appears to be the number one issue in the riding this election?

In this riding, healthcare appears to be a big concern. Our medical system is crumbling. A large number of residents in Minden want to see the re-opening of their ER. I’m also hearing complaints about the walk-in clinic that include the cumbersome scheduling and delays to see a medical practitioner. I support the opening of an ER in Minden, but will that be something between a walk-in clinic and a fully equipped ER? I’m not sure. I agree something has to be done. I will seek input from the public and the healthcare community.

Another concerning issue for the residents of the Haliburton Kawartha Lakes Brock riding, especially the central and northeastern parts, is the Haliburton Highlands Corridor proposal. Residents are very concerned about the Milburn-Kendrik zone. As a New Blue candidate, I am very interested in this issue because the New Blue Party shall not support any authority imposed by the United Nations and the World Economic Forum in Ontario.

The Haliburton Highlands Land Trust is an unelected, environmental special interest group. The New Blue Party stands with local residents.

Polling firms are predicting a turnout of below 40 per cent of eligible voters. Do you agree after being out and about and talking with the voting public?

In the last election, only 43% of Ontarians voted. It’s apparent people in this province have lost faith in the electoral process and in politicians.

The New Blue Party supports keeping Ontario elections transparent, free and fair by requiring voters to present valid voter ID prior to voting and by counting ballots manually, not through the use of electronic vote tabulator machines that do not allow scrutineers to see the ballots that are being counted.

At its noblest, good and responsible government should demonstrate accountability, transparency and integrity, while acting in the best interests of its citizens.

As a New Blue candidate, this is my commitment.

 

Libertarian Party

Zack Tisdale

I’m running against big government overreach in Ontario.

This is a snap election by Doug Ford in order to secure more power for himself.

He was looking for any excuse to capitalize on the unpopularity of the federal Liberals before the next election.

The Trump tariffs simply provided him a convenient excuse, and he’s unfortunately leaning into the anti-American sentiment of the far left in Canada.

This has regrettably become an “Orange Man Bad” election.

If people are tired of the Doug Ford PCs and the other establishment parties, they have other options this election.

 

Independent candidate

Gene Balfour

Tell me a little about yourself.

I am a retired senior who moved from Toronto to the Kawartha Lakes in 2016 with my wife and her parents. My working career of 41 years was mostly in the Information Technology sector as a Professional Recruiter. Politically, I have represented the Ontario Libertarian Party in 7 elections, the Libertarian Party of Canada twice and the PPC once. I believe the private sector is the source of our property and must be minimally constrained by taxation and regulations. I am an ardent opponent of the Climate Change Crisis Theory (CCCT), wrote a Kindle eBook called “What to do about Climate Change” published in 2023, and I have written nearly 400 articles on Substack.com since January 2022.

Why did you decide to run?

The number one problem in Canada is too much government. In every election, the less government ballot option is never present. The major political parties sell more programs, more spending initiatives and a bigger government workforce; meanwhile, taxation and public debt are at unacceptable levels. I don’t believe that Canada can call itself a “democracy” unless the less government ballot option is present for all electors to consider. I represent the less government choice in this riding.

Is this election necessary? Do you accept the premise it was called under?

Ford’s decision to call this election 16 months early is nothing more than selfish political opportunism. He knows that the Liberal and NDP brands are suffering badly mostly due to reputation damage caused by their federal parties. In Ontario, Ford decided to catch all parties and independent politicians off guard and unprepared. With tens of millions in per vote subsidies, the Conservatives’ election war chest is much better funded than any competitor. His claim that he needs “a renewed majority mandate” to fight Trump’s tariffs is a seriously lame excuse for spending our tax dollars so irresponsibly.

What are three key issues that you believe should be discussed in this election and why?

1. The cost of living is the top issue. My goal is to direct public attention to how much of this problem is caused by too much government. Excessive taxation, public debt, and the hidden burdens of far too many regulations on our property rights and business operations are the #1 problem.
2. The harmful Green Policies. Climate change is not a serious threat but those policies are. They restrict affordable and reliable energy options for citizens and businesses at a time when demand is rapidly rising. Again, overzealous government regulations are the cause.
3. Our education and healthcare sectors need serious reform. All citizens would benefit if non-government service providers could compete in these sectors to better serve the public with more options in a timely, flexible and affordable manner.

What is one idea or program that your party proposes that you are particularly proud of and why?

As an Independent MPP, I would be accountable solely to the voters of Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock. No party leader, nor party whip, would tell me how to represent our residents. All bills presented in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario would be voted on in accordance with the expressed interests, needs and priorities of this riding. The current centralized Party System is inferior to the decentralized Direct Democracy as the citizens of Switzerland know.

Where have you campaigned so far?

I only campaign on social media: Facebook, X and Substack. My Substack subscribers have followed my frequent posts since January 2022. Each short essay presents my views on economics, health and physical fitness, Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence, and a range of public policy topics arising from municipal, provincial, federal, international and American politics. Any voter who wishes to know how I think about these topics should subscribe (it’s free) to ‘My Life Lens’ at Substack.com.

What kind of reception have you gotten from people when you knock on their door?

Thousands of Substack followers receive four to seven essays from me each week. In general, most responders have agreed that the size, cost and scope of government authority are contributing to their concerns about life and employment in Canada today. The ‘Citizens Constitution of 2024’, which outlines the rights of citizens and the duties of government in a succinct manner, has been very popular. Unlike the Canadian Charter, it was written by average Canadians for Canadians without any government involvement – a “voice of the people.”

What appears to be the number one issue in the riding this election?

The high cost of living affects everyone and people are vocal about it. Concerns about expensive housing, energy, food, transportation and basic necessities are raised most often. Associated with this issue is the dramatic decline in trust for politicians, public institutions and big multinational corporations. Citizens instinctively feel helpless and hopeless about this issue realizing that the very people they would have turned to for help in the past are the source of the problem today.

Has weather had an impact on your campaign?

Not at all. Unlike the Conservative, NDP, Liberal and Green Party candidates, none of the small party and independent candidates have received steady government payments based on the Per Vote Subsidies earned in the last election for winning over 2% of the riding’s vote total. Hence, you will not see campaign signs or media advertising from me, nor door to door electioneering. Mine is a ‘zero budget’ campaign because I refuse to accept campaign donations by making election promises that I can’t keep. I sleep better at night from this decision.

Polling firms are predicting a turnout of below 40 percent of eligible voters. Do you agree after being out and about and talking to the voting public?

Voter apathy is viral and, understandably, getting worse since the Internet Age. Each citizen gets only one vote every four years to choose between strangers who represent political parties that have consistently failed their expectations over decades. ‘Recall legislation’ is popular, but it would not help. Many people see my proposed ‘Vote for Less Government’ ballot option as a “protest vote” to signify their desire to fix the root causes of our problems. If they bother to vote, they will choose less government because any vote for a big party is an act of endorsing the broken big government party system. I certainly don’t expect a high voter turnout and this, in itself, should convince the political establishment that something has to change.

 

Freedom Party of Ontario

Bill Denby

I will be sharing my story with the public on the campaign trail.