There are three candidates running in the Kamloops-North Thompson riding in this year's provincial election. Black Press sent the same questions to each
candidate. The following are the questions posed to candidates running for MLA, Ward Stamer, Conservative Party candidate, Maddi Genn, NDP candidate and Tristan Cavers the Green Party candidate running is this provincial election. Maddi Genn and Tristan Cavers answers will be in the Oct. 10 issue of the Barriere Star/Journal and Clearwater Times.
MLA Candidate Questions for the Kamloops-North Thompson for the 2024 provincial election:
1. Who you are, what party are you running for and why have you decided to run for MLA this election?
2. What, in your view, is the biggest issue facing the Kamloops-North Thompson Riding? How would you address it?
3. There is a Canada-wide shortage of health care workers. With this in mind, how does your party propose to attract health care workers to come to this region, and then stay here, when they have their pick of jobs and locations?
4. Reconciliation with our First Nation neighbours has become a central focus of provincial and federal government in recent years. What would you do to help further this process as MLA?
5. Given the increasing climate-related disasters taking place around the world and in our region, what is your party’s plan to address the climate crisis and what role does the climate tax play in that, if any?
6. How does your party propose to ensure that provincial legislation listens to, and takes into account, the very different needs of rural B.C. rather than being a ‘one size fits all’ template designed with urban voters in mind?
Ward Stamer replies:
1. Ward Stamer BC Conservatives currently mayor of Barriere After six years of being a mayor it became apparent to me that the improvements and changes needed for our communities would be only possible with a new government in B.C. and being the representative of this region to do just that .
2. There are three main issues; health care, housing and affordability that are all tied together. Housing and affordability is on everyone's minds with soaring food prices, zero rental space and lack of affordable housing the BC Conservatives will axe the Carbon Tax and Fuel Tax saving people money instantly. The Rustad Rebate offering tax relief for renters and Home Owners Repeal Hidden Taxes and builders red tape and NDP Net Zero requirements that make building inaffordable.
3. With our Patient First Health Ccare model universal health care there will be increases to services and guaranteed wait times. This will be achieved with changes to the accreditation processes in hiring foreign trained doctors and nurses and improvements to our health care professionals' ability to spend the majority of their day with their patients. Currently 40 per cent of their day consists of paperwork, this has to change so that they can see and treat more patients. Attracting more health care professionals to our region is everyone's responsibility from our municipal leaders, business leaders and residents to make these people welcome in our community and support them and their families.
4. Economic reconciliation with our First Nations means cooperation, communication and a willingness to work together . We need to grow our economy in this province and to do this we need investment, certainty, and a duplicatable framework which is accountable and transparent to all our residents including our First Nations people.
5. The climate tax was designed to discourage people from using fossil fuels and transform our reliance on them to cleaner renewable energy. Unfortunately the system became corrupt and became another tax, with massive tax giveaways and misguided projects with huge cost overruns and under-performing clean energy producers. We need to do our part to reduce emissions but Net Zero targets will never be achieved in our lifetime and the Net Zero costs are crippling our economy. We desperately need more electricity in this province and a BC Conservative government will be looking at all forms of power generation as a way for us to be self sufficient in our electricity needs now and in the future. We will also have year-round professionals to respond to our changing climate whether it's increased wildfires, floods, wind and severe weather events that seem to be more frequent.
6. Our BC Conservative candidates have signed a pledge to represent their constituents in all matters concerning their respected regions and as your voice in Victoria rest assured I will be speaking for all of our rural and semi rural residents with common sense ideas and emphasizing the importance of recognizing the difference between rural and urban concerns and solutions.
