It was an evening where citizens could address their concerns about the future of Ontario to the candidates themselves. The East Parry Sound Retired Teachers Association held an all candidates debate at the South River Arena on February 19th. A large crowd, some from as far as Lake of Bays, turned out to voice their opinions.
All candidates in the riding of Parry Sound-Muskoka were invited to participate but only Matt Richter, candidate for the Green Party of Ontario, and Jim Ronholm, candidate for the Ontario New Democratic Party attended. Progressive Conservative candidate Graydon Smith’s office stated via a letter that he was canvassing, and New Blue Party candidate Brandon Nicksy submitted responses in writing.
The RTO led the evening with questions about key election issues like funding affordable housing and increasing local health care services before opening the floor. Both Richter and Ronholm blamed controversial expenditures in the GTA and misspent dollars for shortfalls in services to residents of Parry Sound – Muskoka.
“We have to divert money from frivolous, reckless expenditures that the Ford – Graydon Smith government is proposing like a $50B tunnel under the 401 and get back into the business of building affordable housing units,” Richter stated.
“We need a better approach to deciding how the family health teams are going to be funded because we have local situations here where there are communities visiting a neighbouring municipality to visit the doctors there,” Ronholm told 705BLACKFLY.COM. “The doctors there are not funded for that particular municipality and so they’re not receiving enough funding for enough doctors for all of the patients that are trying to visit that facility.”
Attendees lined up to pose questions on a variety of issues including the hotly contested installation of a lithium battery energy storage system in Armour.
“I’d be opposed to this if it’s not meeting regulations while fully recognizing storing energy is a great solution – but it’s not if it’s compromising the local communities,” said Richter.
Watch our video for an in-depth look at the debate PLUS hear what the candidates had to say when we asked them whether they could be effective representatives at Queen’s Park if the Progressive Conservative Party forms the next government.
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