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Airdrie Chamber of Commerce hosts final Banff-Airdrie candidates forum before federal election day

The Airdrie Chamber of Commerce, along with the sponsoring CREB, played host to the last all-candidates forum for Banff-Airdrie on Sept. 16, providing all nine candidates the chance to present their platforms and answer Airdrie-specific questions for business owners and prospective voters. 
LN-The-Final-Forum
The Banff-Airdrie candidates (from far left, Independent Ron Voss, forum moderator Nikki Nordick, Independent Derek Sloan, Conservative Blake Richards, PPC Nadine Wellwood, Liberal David Gamble, Maverick Tariq Elnaga, Green Aiden Blum, NDP Sarah Zagoda, and Independent Caroline O'Driscoll) participate in an online public forum hosted by the Airdrie Chamber of Commerce on Sept. 16.

The Airdrie Chamber of Commerce, along with the sponsoring Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB), played host to the final all-candidates forum for Banff-Airdrie on Sept. 16, providing candidates the chance to present their platforms and answer Airdrie-specific questions for business owners and prospective voters. 

All nine candidates for the riding were present at the online event, along with 120 members of the public, according to moderators. The forum was a coordinated effort including the City of Airdrie, the chamber of commerce, volunteers, and sponsors.

“This is a great opportunity for our business leaders and residents to get better informed on the issues facing Airdrie and how our candidates here tonight will address them if elected,” said Mayor Peter Brown.

Green Party representative Aidan Blum, Maverick Party representative Tarig Elnaga, David Gamble from the Liberal Party, independent Caroline O’Driscoll, incumbent Conservative Blake Richards, independent Derek Sloan, independent Ron Voss, People’s Party of Canada representative Nadine Wellwood, and NDP representative Sarah Zagoda all had the opportunity to provide opening statements, as well as respond to questions from Airdrie Chamber of Commerce members, Airdrie City councilors, and the public.

The first set of questions for the evening were presented by chamber executive director Marilyne Aalhus, chamber advocacy committee members Shane Groarke and Ami Ballman, Mayor Brown, and Couns. Darrell Belyk and Tina Petrow.  Topics included resources, tax and regulatory systems for small and medium sized businesses, tax reform, national and international trade, the relationship between municipalities and federal government, RCMP retroactive pay, and affordable housing.

On the question of resources being provided to aid small business owners, Liberal candidate Gamble highlighted some of the practices he said have already been implemented by his party in the midst of the pandemic.

“We have this buy-local campaign that was paid for by the federal government that’s going to have a huge impact on small businesses as they revamp, bring themselves back to pre-pandemic levels,” he said. “Also, the hiring credits are instrumental in ensuring that businesses will be able to react to the economy as it improves as we fight the pandemic.”

The Independent candidate Voss, who has vowed not to go to Ottawa if elected said, “[The moderator] did mention something about a complex and dysfunctional federal system, so that comes back to what I’m saying – we’ve got to get out of the federal system. It doesn’t help or encourage any kind of business development in Canada.”

When the topic of tax reform and small business was raised, O’Driscoll emphasized her belief that those being affected by particular policies should be involved in the decision-making process.

“Too often, government plans and policies are being developed by the bureaucrats, and they are not engaging the people who are impacted by the decisions they are making. I think you actually need to have small- and mid-sized business owners at the table engaged in the conversation, explaining, and being part of the solution,” she said.

Blum, the Green candidate, said, “I think tax reform is going to be a must if we’re going to generate a society that can move away from constant growth that sees to only inflate the profits of a few, while leaving countless working people and their families high and dry.”

The topic of trade and trade barriers was a rather passionate one for the candidates.  

NDP candidate Zagoda mentioned the dissolution of the Alberta Wheat Board (AWB), and said that “has been a big disadvantage to our farmers.”

“Instead of being able to trade the wheat freely as they want, they are condemned to trading with just a few big partners and not being able to negotiate their prices very well,” she said, and added that she would consult with farmers and potentially bring back the AWB if elected.

The incumbent Richards fired back at Zagoda.

“I’d first like to tell our farmers out there – who I know – how hard they fought for years to have the freedom to market their own grain. It’s sad to hear a candidate telling us they would bring back the Canadian Wheat Board monopoly on western Canadian farmers, and I certainly would never want to see that happen,” he said.

Elnaga, the Maverick candidate, used the question surrounding affordable housing as a way to emphasize the need for western Canada to have strong representation.

“Is the distribution of affordable housing politicized to go into major urban centres where there is the highest concentration of voters? And that’s, again, a question of Ottawa trying to keep Ottawa power, rather than moving it to the west,” he said.

Another point of passion came when the candidates were addressing the question from the Airdrie and Area Circle for Indigenous Relations, regarding the individual’s familiarity with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission: Calls to Action. The question asked which of the 94 points they would choose to focus on implementing.

“I’ll start by saying, as I look around the panel, I don’t see any Indigenous voices at the table tonight,” Blum said. “I don’t see any Indigenous voices at most of the tables when we’re discussing Indigenous issues.”

However, when it came time for Wellwood to answer the question, she proudly identified herself as Métis, and called out Blum for his claim.

“So, our Green Party candidate seems to think there’s no Indigenous voice around this table. You couldn’t be more wrong,” she said. “I am Métis. I grew up in Labrador, my brother is Inut Nation. Our Indian population – and I’m not afraid to say it – this is not about political correctness; this is about doing what needs to be done and saying what needs to be said.”

Though there was never a direct question on the topic, the pandemic was at the forefront of many of the candidate’s answers, as were vaccines and the recent announcement of new public health restrictions and the Alberta government's new Restriction Exemption Program.

During her opening statement, Wellwood began by mentioning the announcement made by Premier Jason Kenney the day prior.

“Why did Jason Kenney close ICU beds last week and then declare an emergency yesterday?” she asked. “Why are we threatening the jobs of thousands of nurses and doctors for refusing a vaccine in the middle of the pandemic?

“Discrimination based on medical choice is no more acceptable than discrimination based upon colour, race, gender, or sexual orientation. It has no place in Canada,” she said.  

During one of his answers, independent candidate Sloan said, “It is a fact that the handling of COVID-19 has been mishandled, every step of the way.”  

There were also numerous instances of candidates taking aim at the leadership of Premier Kenney, concluding that several municipal issues are the result of his poor leadership.

Despite various technical difficulties and adjustments to the online format, the forum successfully allowed candidates to present their platforms and express their views on hot button issues.

This event will be the last public forum for the Banff-Airdrie riding prior to voting day on Sept. 20.

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