Delta's four federal election candidates squared off Wednesday night in Tsawwassen for the final time of the campaign.
Organized by the Delta Chamber of Commerce and co-sponsored by the Delta Optimist and Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver, the forum at South Delta Secondary saw about 200 people take advantage of the opportunity to hear from Liberal Carla Qualtrough, New Democrat Jeremy Leveque, Anthony Devellano of the Greens and Conservative incumbent Kerry-Lynne Findlay.
Written questions submitted to the chamber ahead of time and from the audience ran the gamut, ranging from terrorism to supporting seniors' health care needs to the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
As far as some of the hot button local issues, Findlay wasted no time during her opening remarks to break news that BBC Broadcasting Inc., the company behind the controversial plan to erect radio transmission towers in Point Roberts, lost its appeal earlier in the day in a U.S. court. She used the opportunity to go over all the work she had done on behalf of her constituents on the issue, noting it's an example of how she works collaboratively with others.
When asked about the radio towers later in the meeting, Qualtrough said the issue was an example of how the community needs a more effective MP.
"I would suggest there hasn't been sufficient federal leadership on this initiative. I give credit entirely to the community for their success and any ongoing success," she said. "There are other federal avenues that can and should be pursued at the various different levels, whether it be between the FCC and CRTC, whether it be in the halls or Prime Minister's Office, there's certainly a role to play for your federal representative in issues that so directly impact our community."
Asked about protecting farmland from industrial development, Findlay, who met with a group of farmers earlier in the day, said she has been working hard to protect Delta farms and her many campaign signs on local farms show she has the support of farmers.
Findlay was also asked whether her government would provide funding for a bridge to replace the George Massey Tunnel, responding that neither she nor her government has received any information
about the project from the province. She said she expects a funding request to come on such a major infrastructure project. She added she has been working with the Corporation of Delta in trying to ensure Ladner would not be cut off when the bridge is built.
Asked for his position on the contentious plan by an airline consortium at YVR to barge jet fuel to a proposed tank farm along the Fraser River, Devellano admitted he didn't know much about the issue and instead talked about high jet fuel prices. However, on the question posed to him regrading maintenance dredging of local river
channels, he responded that a long-term program is needed just as roads and bridges are maintained, otherwise sediment will simply build up once again.
Asked for his position on the proposed Terminal 2 at Roberts Bank, Leveque answered there is no business case for the project, something confirmed by managers at Deltaport, and that the potential environmental damage is immense for the important ecosystem.
"An NDP government, like I said, would reverse the cuts the Conservatives have made to the protection of our lakes and rivers and would also ensure that we had a credible, sciencebased environmental review process that respected First Nations' rights, that included robust community consultation, so that no project could go ahead without a community buy-in and community acceptance, and guarantees that the ecological and environmental damage can be minimized and that the business case is worthwhile," he said.
Regarding Canada Post's planned cuts to home delivery, which will see Ladner as the first Lower Mainland community to lose the service, Leveque said that plan would be reversed under an NDP government.
The election takes place Oct. 19.
