With the Federal election drums starting to beat in a faster rhythm these days, the Federal political parties are ramping up their campaign planning and with that, we're also seeing a bit of attention from politicians near and far.
Today's contribution to the pre election discussion coming from Conservative leader Erin O'Toole who spoke by Zoom conference to the Terrace and District Chamber of Commerce.
The near one hour session featured comments from the Conservative leader over the first fifteen minutes of the session followed by questions, with O'Toole noting of the economic importance of the region from Prince Rupert's port infrastructure to the industrial footprints found in the Terrace and Kitimat region, noting how he speaks often of the region as key to the national export ambitions.
Towards the current COVID situation across the country, O'Toole spoke to how the region will come out of the times of COVID and offered up the Conservatives blue print for the future, through the Canada Recovery plan that was recently announced by the party.
"You have to have a plan and you have to build partnerships ... the Conservatives have a principled approach, a Big Blue tent and we're going to make sure than no one is left behind after COVID 19"
Noting how Terrace is a key hub city for the region, he spoke of infrastructure challenges in that community and explored what his party would bring towards growth of employment and how the Conservatives will offer options to rebuild and start new businesses on the Main Streets of the Northwest.
Mental wellness programs and addressing the opioid crisis were also themes as was the need for preparedness for the next crisis, with O'Toole vowing to reduce the reliance on countries such as "communist China" towards solutions at home for such situations as the current COVID response.
He also called for a public inquiry into why Canada was not prepared for COVID to ensure the nation is not in the same situation in the years to come, as it finds itself today.
The remainder of the session came through questions from Chamber members who asked on themes related to leadership, racial divides in Canada and how to address the right wing elements on the Conservative side of the political spectrum.
Among some of the Conservative leaders responses touched on the need to expand the base of the party, looking to welcome more Canadians into the party to help shape their plans for the nation in the future.
He called attention to how he sees the current Liberal approach as one that does not foster partnerships with communities and does not take into account the key areas of note in those communities.
Transparency and accountability of leadership also factored into the discussion, with the Conservative leader making note of the many ethics violations that the current Liberal party has seen pop up, along with the growing number of incidents with how the Liberals have handled military issues in recent months.
With much development in Kitimat and Prince Rupert, the session focuses on what Terrace officials see as a case of being a bit left out, with a number of local infrastructure issues remaining ignored by other levels of government.
"We've seen the offers from the mayor to have the Prime Minister and others to come and tour the area, see some of the overpasses and bridges and things that need that work ... when there is a major project like LNG in the national interest and it truly is ... there has to be a recognition of the impact to the strain on infrastructure in the area and as Terrace is an important regional hub that has to be part of the discussion"
That theme also provided an opening for O'Toole to observe of the roadblocks that the NDP puts in place towards developing resources that will benefit all communities of the region and how it makes for the Conservatives as a partner for the region.
"The NDP are generally anti development of any kind, particularly anything that touches on natural resources, that hurts Indigenous Canadians on a per capita basis the most, it hurts rural parts of British Columbia and rural parts of Canada"
The future of oil and gas exploration and development made for some review, with the Conservative leader observing that he doesn't see the use of hydro carbons going away any time soon and how Canada has a path to cut as a reliable provider of energy and other products from the resource sector.
The perception of Canada as a difficult place to get projects developed also covered a wide area of review, with the Conservative leader noting that there must be some sense of predictability for industrial developers and how the federal Liberal and NDP politicians have at times not provided for that sense that private sector industry is welcome.
How to rebuild the political dialogue in Canada provided a forum for the Conservative leader to explore how he hopes to find more engagement with Canadians, and returned to his earlier comments on expanding the party's membership seeking union members and more Indigenous participation to widen the views that the party discusses and seeks to offer as a potential government.
Proximity to the rail line and the dangers that transport of goods may bring was a focus of note for the forum as well, with the need to learn from past lessons a current of planning that the leader noted was something that should make for the approach
"How can we partner better on local priorities with municipal leaders, with Indigenous leaders, with the private sector demanding better. ... when there is something that is in the national interest whether port facilities whether a major project as LNG or other major project ... the federal government can build resiliency, can help build that capacity to ensure that any risks are mitigated from this economic activity. Because we need to make progress, but it can't be at sacrificing the environment or at safety "
On UNDRIP and the desire towards the need to consult with Indigenous leaders, the Conservatives leader looks to bring the First Nations into the discussion on development issues and spoke out against how the Liberal and NDP have approached such themes.
"All Canadians want Reconciliation to be at the centre of what the Federal government does and provincial governments and all levels of government in the future and the difference between myself and Mr. Trudeau, I will have a plan to build partnerships and not just make promises ... because you erode trust if you fail again on another promise ...
If we take a blanket No approach as Mr. Trudeau has done to exploration in the Arctic, as he's done to Northern Gateway ... who does it hurt the most? Indigenous Canadians who actually have a chance to be in the drivers' seat from an economic reconciliation standpoint"
You can review the full one hour presentation and Q and A period below:
While the election planning is clearly in motion, so far there are few declared candidates in the Skeena-Bulkley Valley region, with only NDP incumbent Taylor Bachrach and perennial Christian Heritage Party member Rod Taylor so far announcing their plans to contest the next election, whenever it may be called.
More notes on the Federal themes can be reviewed from our House of Commons archive page.
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