Yorkton This Week sent a list of ten questions to each of the five candidates running in the Yorkton-Melville riding in the 2019 Federal Election. Every day for ten days, we will post their answers. Yorkton-Melville heads to the polls on Oct. 21.
Many people are concerned with stability in Canada’s trade, especially due to turmoil south of the border and with our relationship with China. What do you think needs to be done to ensure exports, including agriculture and manufactured goods, have greater stability?
Stacey Wiebe, Green Party:
There needs to be more trade with a wider variety of countries. Relying on one or two countries for the bulk of our trade leaves us open to turmoil and uncertainty.
Carter Antoine, New Democratic Party:
The TPP hurts Canadian farmers. We need trade deals that consider the financial impact on working people and farmers first. We need trade deals that discourage corporations from moving their factories to countries with cheap labor and low human rights standards. For decades the Liberal and Conservatives have protected the wealthiest corporations and individuals and inequality has continued to grow. That’s why the NDP has a plan to invest in Canadian manufacturing and also ask the super wealthy and the most successful corporations to pay a bit more in taxes to help fund social programs that will improve the lives of all Canadians.
Connor Moen, Liberal Party:
There has been instability in the past, and there will likely be instability in the future. The best thing that we can do is to continue to secure trading partnerships with countries around the world to be able to export our products to those that want it. Internally, we need to make sure we have the ability to get out product to market to meet global demands.
Ryan Schultz, People's Party of Canada:
The PPC would stop the 250 million dollar investment in the Chinese development bank for China to have more influence in Asia. We won't sign a free trade agreement with China now. We would file a complaint about China’s trade practices with the World Trade Organization.
The PPC would reset relations with the US and use the abolition of supply management as a bargaining chip to remove US steel tariffs.
Cathay Wagantall, Conservative Party:
No other party in Canada has as strong a record on the protection and promotion of free trade than Canada’s Conservatives. Prime Minister Brian Mulroney initiated free trade with the United States and NAFTA. Prime Minister Stephen Harper initiated and concluded free trade negotiations with over 50 countries.
The benefits of free trade are obvious. Aside from the economic prosperity that follows when people can exchange freely, it is a simple fact that free-trading nations don’t go to war with each other.
We currently have a great deal of trade taking place with many countries we don’t have a Free Trade Agreement with. China is one example with many challenges blocking the possibility of such an agreement. Our Canadian democratic rule of law and judicial processes affirms free enterprise. Clearly, government-controlled market access systems in countries like China mean that developing free trade is very difficult. Wise, clear foreign policy that challenges and respects global realities is so crucial for Canada. A leader that can navigate these realities is what a Conservative government will bring to the table with Andrew Scheer as our Prime Minister.
