ElectionThere are four candidates hoping to represent Sault Ste. Marie in the House of Commons after the October 19th federal election. The public had a chance on Tuesday night to hear from the group during an all-candidates forum at City Hall. Making Northern Ontario more competitive was one of a number of topics that were talked about. Conservative Bryan Hayes touched on past efforts including funding for the RAIN Agriculture Program and a one billion dollar Innovation Fund for forestry. But New Democrat Skip Morrison feels the Harper government has forgotten about the north in recent years…

Liberal Terry Sheehan focused on partnerships being key to making the North competitive. He offered the Liberals’ investing 200 million dollars a year for ‘sector-specific’ strategies to assist in the Port of Algoma, the Ring of Fire and the Algoma Central Railway. Green candidate Kara Flannagin took a different approach — suggesting a change in thinking from moving away from mining and forestry and moving towards locally grown, organic food and hemp. A trending topic in recent days was discussed at Tuesday’s forum. The four contenders running in the Sault Ste. Marie riding answered a question about what would their parties would do regarding the Middle East refugee crisis in Western Europe. Morrison says action must be taken now, saying his party would ensure the military is on site in Turkey and send federal and immigration workers there to speed up the process. Flannagin says Canada has strayed from its peacekeeping role, adding her party will work to get that role back…and that Canada’s hearts are with the people of Syria…

Hayes addressed efforts made by his party — that Canada has been bringing in hundreds of refugees from Iraq, with another two thousand from Syria so far. Sheehan mentioned that his party has proposed 25 thousand refugees to come into Canada from direct sponsorship. He blamed Conservative cuts and policies for the steady decline in refugees arriving in Canada. Another question asked was one on how to fix the Employment Insurance Program. Sheehan mentioned his party would work to reduce wait times for benefits from two weeks to one week, as well as lower premiums and repeal the changes made in 2012 by the Harper government. Hayes defended his party’s work in this area and attempted to correct a statement made by Sheehan about E-I resulting in some people leaving town to find work…

Flannagin offered some solutions from a minimum wage of 15 dollars an hour to the creation of a Guaranteed Livable Income. This would be done by working with other levels of government and the money would go to help at-risk people who need assistance the most. Morrison says his party would eliminate the waiting period for E-I benefits and other restrictions, with a focus on getting people back to work.