麻豆视频

OUTLOOK — This year's federal election has a short campaign trail as Canadian go to the polls in just a couple of weeks, but it's already heating up with all manner of candidates putting their names forward in ridings across the country.

In Outlook, which belongs to the Moose Jaw-Lake Centre-Lanigan constituency, the candidates are out and about in the community and speaking with residents about the issues that matter to them, such as when Conservative choice Fraser Tolmie appeared at the home of Merlyn and Elna Friesen on Wednesday afternoon, April 9.

Having coffee and donuts while talking to a dozen or so constituents about what matters in this election, Tolmie says it's the Conservative party's platform that sets it apart from the rest in this election.

The size of this riding means that candidates are going to be doing a lot of traveling in the days leading up to Election Day on April 28.

"You know, we have to state to everybody here that this riding is bigger than Switzerland," said Tolmie. "And being one of the candidates, that's a lot of territory to cover. So I've been on the road and it's been great to come up to Outlook again and meet with some supporters and have a bit of time with them and coffee and donuts."

Tolmie says that what he's hearing from Canadians the most is the rising costs of living and the pricing associated with everyday goods and services.

"One of the things that we're hearing is that life is really difficult," he said. "In the last ten years, the cost of living has really impacted people. That their buying power isn't going as far as it used to. They're concerned about the future. They've not forgotten about some of the challenges that this Liberal government has, and with the support of the NDP, what they've done to the people of Canada. And they feel used and unheard and they're not forgetting things like food bank usage, which has gone up. In Moose Jaw, the city of Moose Jaw itself, they almost closed down the food bank because there was a lack of donations.
Cost of food was too much for the food bank to buy, and usage has gone up. And people that wouldn't normally use the food bank had to use it. So, people are upset and they're not forgetting that they've been put in this position and that we've been saying from across the floor to the NDPs and the Liberals, this is not sustainable. So, they want change."

If there was one thing that Tolmie believes is connecting with people the most, it's his party's plan to combat the taxes in this country. He says those that are currently in power in Ottawa aren't listening to the everyday Canadians and that life is becoming more expensive for them as time goes on.

"Obviously, we're hammering out 'Axe the Tax', the carbon tax. I want to make it absolutely clear," said Fraser. "Carney can't by law change that. So what he's done is he's changed the dollar amount to zero. So, it's still a law that's in place. And so it could come back at any time, which we don't want. You know, there are so many different things that are going on. There are a lot of plates spinning in this election, and so it's a bit of a moving target. But I mean, that's part of this business and part of the challenge that we have to deal with. We believe that the Conservative Party and their platform, with reducing taxes for the average family of 15% is important.

Getting rid of the capital gains tax that was going to be hiked by the Liberal Party again is another good move because it affects small businesses and it affects farmers and it affects dentists and doctor practices and so many other people. So we have very, very good solid policies and it just seems to me that the Liberals are trying to take credit for them and they've not listened to us for the last 10 years. So, I don't think they'd be any good at putting them into place."

Here on the Prairies, one of the mainstay topics that comes up time and time again whenever Ottawa is headed back to the polls is the idea of the West separating from the rest of Canada, coming from the mindset of a growing number of people in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta that feel like their concerns and input aren't being heard from Ottawa decision makers.

Tolmie says it comes down to one simple thing - too many people who live here don't feel like they matter in the bigger picture.

"Western Canada, we don't feel valued," he said. "We feel like we're being taken for granted. We have so many natural resources, we have so many commodities, so many good products and it just seems to me that we are pigeonholed by the East. When we talk about oil and gas, we produce the cleanest and most ethically produced oil and gas in the world, and it just seems to be that Ontarians think that we're polluters. Well, that's not the case. We have an issue with China with the tariffs and it's affecting our canola, and so the Easterners don't recognize that farmers are actually their own businesses and they have to think global. So there are a lot of things that are getting missed and that's part and parcel of being such a vast country.

But we also have to be able to communicate and I think there's got to be a better job, and and this Liberal government has not built bridges, they've burnt bridges and we need to build bridges."

Tolmie, hopeful of a return to Ottawa as this riding's MP, says Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre has a vision focused on practicality for Canadians that will lead to everyday lives becoming easier and more manageable.

"You know, Pierre's a very highly intelligent man and I've seen firsthand how he's navigated through the last couple years as the leader of the party and I believe he would be the best Prime Minister, the best candidate," said Fraser. "Not only that, but he has a vision and we've got to communicate that to the rest of Canadians, and there are practical steps that the Conservative Party and the Conservative Party platform brings. We have a better product, we have a better platform and we just need to do our job in convincing the rest of Canada because their lives are going to get better. Their lives are going to get a lot easier."

Canada goes to the polls and decides on our next leader on Monday, April 28.