As the Sept. 20 federal election nears, Castanet Vernon is speaking with the five North Okanagan-Shuswap candidates.
Each political hopeful was given five minutes to present their stance on several issues.
Each candidate was asked to speak one one or more of the following topics: housing affordability, pandemic response, climate change, debt/taxation, government transparency/honesty and First Nations reconciliation.
Each candidate also submitted a written article.
Shelley Desautels is carrying the Liberal banner into the national election.
I am running as the candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada, because I believe in their policies and I believe the Liberal platform is an economic plan. It is also a climate plan, a housing plan, a COVID recovery, a plan for seniors and so much more, but if you look at the big picture, it is truly an economic plan.
In order to fund social supports such as our housing plan, $10-a-day childcare, and increased funding for seniors, we are proposing tax increases for the wealthiest Canadians.
Banks and Insurance companies who have fared well throughout COVID and making more than $1 billion will have a tax increase of three per cent.
The top bracket income earners will pay at least 15 per cent taxes on their income regardless of deductions and credits.
Implement tax on luxury cars, boats and planes.
We recognize that throughout COVID, many small businesses were hit harder than most and that is why we are willing to step up and continue to support our local businesses so that they can come out of COVID stronger than before.
Extending the Canada Recovery Hiring Program to 2022 to hire more workers or offer higher wages
Providing the tourism industry with temporary wage and rent support of up to 75 per cent of their expenses to get through the winter
Supporting small businesses develop their digital platform to allow them to expand to new markets
Adjust the loan amounts for leasehold or equipment purchase and modify eligibility for loans to allow for more businesses to access these monies, including non-profits and charities
The Liberal platform also has a plan for making homes more affordable and getting individuals and families out of the endless rent cycle that so many people are experiencing. As we plan to create 1 million new jobs, we need to ensure there are affordable homes so that families can live where they work. Our housing plan will open up the housing market so more people can find homes in the communities that they want to live and not be fighting against speculators and investors.
Develop a rent-to-own program that can help families go from rent to ownership in five years.
Implement the Home Buyers Bill of Rights which will ban blind bidding on homes, provide a right to a home inspection, and require mortgage lenders to act in the buyers best interest, to name a few.
End speculation by introducing an anti-flipping tax.
Put a two-year moratorium on foreign investors.
Next, a large piece of our economic recovery is our climate plan. We know we need to move forward with an ambitious climate plan and we have done just that.
Reduce emissions by 40-45 per cent by 2030 with legislated net-zero by 2050.
Creating new middle class job by turning Canada in to a world leader for battery development.
Developing green technologies which both creates jobs and opens up markets for our products internationally.
Launch a Clean Jobs Training Center to transition workers from the fossil fuel industry to a new zero carbon industry.
The Liberal plan is costed. The Liberal plan is comprehensive. The Liberal plan will keep us moving forward for the economy, for jobs, for climate, for housing, for Indigenous rights, for seniors, for everyone. This is the plan we need in order to move forward.
- Shelley Desautels