https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/kenora-candidates-debate-1.5306999

6 candidates vying to be MP for Kenora riding

The six candidates squaring off at a debate on Wednesday night in Kenora, Ont., may have surprised themselves by how much they actually agreed upon.

Even the moderator noted that a coalition government would be functional, if the federal parties worked together like the candidates on stage at Seven Generations Education Institute.

The debate focused on four topics: the creation of the All-Nations hospital, climate change, mercury poisoning at Grassy Narrows and social issues and addictions in Kenora.

Each candidate agreed that there was a need for a new hospital in Kenora, along with some type of treatment facility at Grassy Narrows, as well as more support for addictions in the city.

But, the candidates also traded a few barbs, mainly between Liberal candidate Bob Nault and Conservative candidate Eric Melillo.

The forum was rounded out by the remaining names on the ballot, Rudy Turtle for the NDP, Kirsi Ralko for the Greens, Michael DiPasquale for the People’s Party of Canada and independent candidate Kelvin Boucher-Chicago.

Nault described the creation of an All-Nations hospital as a “non-partisan issue,” noting that no matter the political stripes, the need for a new hospital in Kenora was evident. He did go on to say, however, that he was instrumental in getting a new hospital in Sioux Lookout, and he could bring the same expertise to Kenora, while highlighting his campaign slogan, “experience matters.”

Melillo was the only candidate to throw some barbs at Nault, saying he was a “tired Liberal candidate,” while he was a “new generation voice.”

Melillo and Nault are a generation apart, with Nault being involved in politics for decades, and Melillo just graduating from Lakehead University.

Specific questions

Candidates responded to the four individual questions asked, with the topic of climate change generating some of the most unique responses of the evening.

“I think it’s just nothing but a fast cash grab for the government and another forum for the bureaucrats to put more money in their pocket,” said Boucher-Chicago.

“The dinosaurs lived through it, and they didn’t live through it because they didn’t know how to deal with it. At that time, they didn’t have brains ether. But today, not really much has changed. We don’t have brains either. We’re still driving cars. We have to find ways to adapt. We can’t change it, we can’t stop it.”

DiPasquale said he studied science in university and agreed with Boucher-Chicago, as he did with many of his fellow candidates’ responses.

“Well said Kelvin, that was refreshing. I think the question is man-made climate change, not just climate change. And the question is: are we causing the climate to change?”

“I think the larger issue is what we’re going to do with Canadian energy,” he continued. “Are we going to tax people who use fossil fuels and whatnot? We should let the Canadian energy production go ahead and the let the free market economy reign.”

As for hyper-local issues, Turtle became emotional when speaking about the need for addictions treatment in the region.

Kenora has struggled with homelessness issues for decades, which came to a head this summer when the local shelter was temporarily closed.

“We will consult with those real people to ensure that real solutions are offered to deal with real problems,” Turtle said. “Remember that these are real people.”

“They’ve told me (the police) again and again that locking people up just doesn’t work,” he continued. “The root cause of their problem has never been dealt with.”

“A real serious program with counselling and that these people will heal inside and become people who can contribute to society again, people who can work again.”

Ralko said she was pleased the issue is now being discussed at a federal level, as the matter comes up nearly every week at Kenora city council. Ralko is a sitting councillor.

“Trauma is a gateway drug, and I would concur with the statements from Mr. Turtle that locking people up won’t work.”

She pointed to the Green platform of de-criminalizing drug possession to allow more resources to crack down on drug trafficking, as well as freeing up the justice system.

Candidates in the Kenora riding will square off again next week in Red Lake and Sioux Lookout.