Candidates field local questions

Mark Ribble, Leamington Post

About 100 curious residents gathered in the council chambers at Leamington's Municipal Building last Tuesday evening for a look at the candidates seeking votes in the riding of Chatham-Kent Essex. The event was sponsored by CFTV 34 and the Leamington Chamber of Commerce.

Leamington's Aleksandra Navarro represents the NDP, with Rick Nicholls of Chatham running under the PC banner and Paul Watson of Chatham the Liberal candidate.

Most of the questions came from emails and submitted queries but a few were also taken from the floor.

The candidates started with opening statements, then fielded questions about policies and platforms and wrapped it up with a closing statement.

The Green Energy Act got a lot of play during the event, with Watson's Liberals supporting it and the other two parties not in favour, as it stands.

"The Green Energy Act is the cornerstone of the Liberal government's energy policy", said Watson. "the only alternative is the cheap and dirty coal energy we are used to," he added.

The Liberals are saying they will create 50,000 jobs in the green energy industry.

Nicholls and the PC party believe that green energy needs to be a balance between doing what's right for the environment and keeping it cost effective.

"For every job they create through green energy, we will lose up to four jobs in manufacturing," said Nicholls.

Nicholls went on to say that his party is not necessarily against wind and solar power, but they want to see the costs brought in line so that people will be able to afford their hydro bills.

Navarro said that the people need a break from the rising costs.

"Make green energy sources affordable," she said.

She pointed out that, prior to 1995, there was one hydro provider, now there are four.

"Each of them has a high-paid CEO making six figure incomes," she said.

The NDP will combine the providers to bring the costs down to consumers.

On the issue of wind turbines in Pigeon Bay, all three candidates agreed that it's a bad idea.

Watson alluded to Pat Hoy and the late Bruce Crozier being major opponents of turbines in the lake, despite the Liberal stance on green energy.

Navarro admittedly didn't know much about the issue but presumed it could be devastating for migrating species in the lake.

Nicholls took the hardest stance against the turbines and said he had "heard that the Liberals were paying people to go around and pick up dead birds out of farmers' fields."

The candidates also fielded several questions on the state of health care in the province.

Navarro's focus was on keeping health care costs down.  To read more go to www.leamingtonpostandshopper.com.