Ahead of the April 28 federal election, Black Press Media sent a list of questions to each of the candidates seeking the Member of Parliament seat in Cariboo-Prince George.
Each candidate was asked the same questions, there are seven candidates total in the riding. These are the answers received by Independent Kenneth Thomson.
Advance polls for the election are open April 18 to April 21 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. People can register to vote, check their registration status and find more information about the electoral process at Elections.ca.
What qualities or experiences make you the best candidate for voters in Cariboo-Prince George to cast their ballot for?
During the course of my life, I have had four separate careers: large retail store management; software developer/systems engineer; subcontractor; and lawyer. Interspersed, I have taken time to myself, travelled and acquired three university degrees.
I have also been attentive to political and social developments and am reasonably well read.
Probably the two most important qualities that I believe that make me an exceptionally good candidate, is that I relate well to people regardless of who they are and I am generally able to come up with creative solutions for whatever challenge I am confronted with.
What, in your view, is the biggest issue facing voters in Cariboo-Prince George? How will you address it?
Maintaining life opportunities. We are not all the same and we should have the opportunity to choose a lifestyle and vocation that suits who we are.
However, we are being squeezed as a result of poor governance by successive governments who lost their way along time ago. The primary focus of government needs to be on public interest not private interest.
We need to have an effective program for low-cost housing. We need to have youth training programs which give our youth an opportunity to fill skilled labour positions. We need to support the production of local products.
Do you believe that human-caused climate change is real, and if so, what concrete plans do you have to tackle it?
The question isn’t whether human activity is causing climate change. The question is: to what degree is human activity contributing to climate change? And that is a hard question to answer. Through out history there have been climate changes which were unrelated to human activity but at the same time there is evidence that human activity is contributing to climate change.
Perhaps the more important issue is: how are we going to reduce various forms of pollution which are making our planet uninhabitable. It isn’t just a matter of climate change. It is also about having clean water, clean air and clean land.
Given the riding's size and centralization of Prince George, how will you ensure all of your constituents are represented?
I show up and I am willing to converse with anyone who is willing to express their opinion. Sometimes it is just listening. Sometimes it is advising and informing.
Besides having an intention to provide a toll-free number for callers within the constituency, I intend to travel within the constituency when I am not required to be in Ottawa. Being a member of parliament is a job and it has its responsibilities which include making oneself available to one’s constituents.
How are you planning to deal with the trade threats coming from the U.S. administration, and/or the president’s talk of annexing Canada?
Thoughtful, considered responses which are actually implemented. We need to calm down and be realistic about the circumstances we find ourselves in and take a broader perspective.
Recently, especially by the Liberal party, there has been an emphasis on strengthening our national economy. Initiatives such as reducing interprovincial trial barriers are important first steps but they are only a first step. We have to go a great deal farther if we want to assert our sovereignty. We have to become more self-reliant and not just claim that we are an independent nation.
Example, why do we have 100 per cent tariffs on Chinese EVs? Maybe we should be building Chinese EVs in Canada. The 100 per cent tariffs have hurt Canadian agricultural exports and how have we benefited?
