Meet the Ottawa South candidates
We asked the main federal candidates in the Ottawa-area ridings to answer several questions so voters could get to know them better and get a sense of where they stand on important local issues.
Candidates’ replies to the surveys for Ottawa South appear below in alphabetical order. They have been edited for clarity and length. Results of the remaining surveys will appear in the Citizen in the days ahead. For more on what candidates had to say, visit ottawacitizen.com.
The riding: Liberal David McGuinty has represented Ottawa-South since 2004 and won in 2015 with slightly more that 60 per cent of the vote. Conservative Dev Balkissoon came second with 24 per cent.
Ottawa South is bordered by Highway 174 on the north and follows the Rideau River to Hunt Club Road, including the Ottawa International Airport in its southwest corner, and is bordered by Highway 417 on the east.
Note: Green candidate Les P. Schram did not respond to requests to participate.
RODRIGO BOLAñOS — PEOPLE’S PARTY OF CANADA
1. What is the most important local issue in your riding?
The most important issue among them all is affordable housing — whether that’s in regards to housing programs or the growing unaffordability of rent, heating bills, property taxes, even groceries and the dollar’s value. Everyone’s struggling one way or another, and I’m struggling too.
2. If elected, what would be your top local priority, and how will you tackle it as an MP?
There are many local issues that don’t fall under federal jurisdiction. Our roads, for example, are municipal jurisdiction, and are absolutely horrendous — and health care is a provincial jurisdiction. The people want decent roads, truly affordable housing, residents and property management to take responsibility for negligence, crime-free neighbourhoods, community gardens, schools, arenas, therapy clinics, shorter wait times — not gangs and drug pushers. Ottawa Community Housing, for example, neglects the growing violence, gangs and criminal activity, and won’t acknowledge even one death or murder that happens under their watch. We need our streets and neighbourhoods cleaned up, but no one wants to take responsibility. My top local priority is the people: If elected, I would get on as many committees as possible to get as much work done to ensure that these basic necessities can be achieved and maintained year after year.
MORGAN GAY — NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY
What is the most important local issue in your riding?
Affordability. The fact that Ottawa South is one of the top 10 ridings for food bank use in Ontario is a clear indicator of the affordability crisis. The cost of big-ticket expenses such as housing and child care continues to rise in our riding and across the Ottawa region.
2. If elected, what would be your top local priority, and how will you tackle it as an MP?
We must address the housing crisis. Last year’s Herongate eviction highlighted how few options lower-income renters have in our community. A recent study echoed their experience, finding that a minimum-wage worker could not afford an average-priced apartment in any of Ottawa’s 27 neighbourhoods. We need to ensure that low-wage workers, students and seniors on fixed incomes are able to afford safe, decent housing. I would work to ensure that Ottawa South was a priority community for the NDP’s affordable housing program, which will create 500,000 new housing units in the next 10 years. And I would host a series of community events across our riding to connect lower-income renters with information about the rental subsidy that the NDP will introduce in its 2019 budget and ensure that they had the resources they need.
DAVID MCGUINTY — LIBERAL PARTY OF CANADA
1. What is the most important local issue in your riding?
The most important issue is working together to ensure that no one gets left behind. That means continuing our work to strengthen pensions, supporting our children and families through the Canada Child Benefit, Before and After School Child Care, and cutting taxes for the middle class.
2. If elected, what would be your top local priority, and how will you tackle it as an MP?
My top local priority remains providing reliable service to my constituents. That means helping constituents with everyday challenges and problems: immigration, pensions, taxes, small business matters, consular issues and passports. If re-elected, I will continue to work to secure investments in local infrastructure such as light rail, district heating and cooling, and local affordable housing.
I would like to continue my Student Engagement Initiative that awards local scholarships and welcomes more than 1,000 Ottawa South students each year to Parliament Hill. I will continue with my Volunteer Initiative that honours many of our community’s most dedicated and underappreciated volunteers and encourages others to get involved, as well as my Small Business Initiative.
ELI TANNIS — CONSERVATIVE PARTY
1. What is the most important local issue in the riding?
People have a growing fear of their financial future. Their hard work isn’t paying off. New taxes are invented, food costs jump, household budgets shrink and anxiety grows about covering monthly expenses and how they will cope in the future. Their issue is: How do families and individuals cope with financial pressures?
2. If elected, what would be your top local priority, and how will you tackle it as an MP?
My priority is to help constituents keep their money.
Phoenix is a disaster, causing financial hardship for many. I will work to scrap Phoenix and work with unions and others to implement something that works; and I will dedicate staff in my constituency office to work with constituents on their specific payroll issues on a full-time basis.
The carbon tax on gasoline and home heating is a tax grab impacting wallets, not climate change. Canadians are not major human contributors creating greenhouse gases. I will support scrapping the fuel tax, while encouraging environmental and other initiatives that promote energy and financial savings, not more and more taxes.