Conservative party hopefuls make stop in Windsor
A handful of leadership hopefuls for the federal Conservative party were in Windsor on Sunday where much of the focus was on criticizing the Liberal government and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Three of the contenders — Chris Alexander, Erin O’Toole and Rick Anderson — attended the twohour question and answer session organized by local party officials at the Holiday Inn, while two others — Kellie Leitch and Andrew Scheer — sent fellow MPs to represent them.
There are 14 candidates overall seeking to become new party leader, replacing former Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
Alexander called winning back the government “urgent.”
“We need to get Canada back and this what this race is about,” he said.
Border logistics, increased infrastructure spending and dealing with the nation’s controversial immigration policies were the primary focus during the session.
Anderson said his No. 1 focus if chosen will be infrastructure to boost the nation’s economy, including a quicker pace to complete the Gordie Howe International Bridge in Windsor.
“Bottlenecks at the border strangle our economy,” he said. “The budget needs to drive investment into infrastructure.”
O’Toole blasted Trudeau for being considered “a joke in Washington.”
“We rely our business ties and military ties with the U.S.,” he said. “(President) Trump will take us more seriously when we improve our defence spending.”
MP Marilyn Gladu, who spoke on behalf of Scheer, said the new bridge is needed for Windsor to be globally competitive, while the infrastructure burden on municipalities for roads, bridges and sewers is “unsustainable.”
“There has to be a focus on that to spend money and create jobs,” she said.
Immigration was a source of some contention between the candidates with several critiquing the current situation with hundreds of asylum seekers walking across the border from the U.S. into Canada in recent weeks.
Alexander said refugees should largely be allowed into Canada through private sponsorships by families or churches.
MP Ben Lobb, speaking on Leitch’s behalf, drew some criticism after discussing her plan for each immigration candidate to be subject to a rigorous one-on-one interview process.
“That’s the reason she is one or two in the polls,” he said of the candidate’s stance on immigration.
Anderson said he has a plan to allow 500,000 immigrants into the country with no increase in tax. It can be done he said by focusing on economic immigrants — those who are filling jobs where there is a skills shortage in Canada. Refugees should largely be supported through private sponsors, he agreed.
“In small towns, the future is immigration — economic growth through integration,” he said. “Where Canadians cannot fill jobs, we will seek economic immigrants.”
O’Toole said whatever else the party does, it has to “get the immigration story right” given how the last federal election Liberals largely swept ridings in all of Canada’s largest cities — Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal — where recent immigrants dominate the population.
Bottlenecks at the border strangle our economy. The budget needs to drive investment into infrastructure.