Incumbent MP David Anderson, who is seeking his fifth mandate to serve as the elected representative for the Cypress Hills Grasslands constituency, said this election is about maintaining the positive direction laid out by the Conservatives since 2006.
"We want to continue that path, that path of low taxes, that path of restrained spending, and that path of stable government. We're going to try to focus on five priorities, and those are all priorities that impact each one of us. They are the things of creating jobs, through training, trades, low taxes. Supporting families through a whole number of initiatives, including the family tax cuts, more support for seniors and caregivers. Eliminating the deficit by 2014-2015. That is something that we would all like to see done as quickly as possible. We want to focus on making our streets safe. If you've been following the news at all you know that our government has been focused on justice issues and has worked hard and long to try to pass legislation to protect Canadians. And the fifth one is to stand on guard for Canada, by doing things like cracking down on human smuggling, strengthening the Canadian Armed Forces, building our reputation internationally."
Anderson argued that Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff not only plans to bring down a minority Conservative government on their budget, but he would work to form an arrangement with other parties to form government.
"It was good to hear him come forward and finally talk about the fact that he was making arrangements. You could use the word coalition - or I actually prefer I think the word concoction, because when you take a look at what we will have a dash of Liberal entitlement, a splash of NDP fiscal responsibility, and a can full of Quebec separatism. I don't really know what that's going to look like, but I know one thing, it's going to be very expensive for everyone of you in this room."
He felt that Canada's ability to ride out the global recession that started in 2008 can be attributed to the Harper government.
"One of the reasons for that was because of the tax cuts that had been made prior to 2008. Stephen Harper's government came to power, when we came in in 2006, one of the things we had promised was that we were going to bring in tax cuts and we have consistently done that. In fact, the average family right now is saving $3,000 per year on their taxes from what they were paying when we came to government in 2006."
The issue of taxes was an important area to highlight according to Anderson.
"By 2012, the corporate tax rate in Canada will be the lowest in the G7, and actually I have to give some thanks to the Liberals for that because they supported us when we were doing that in 2008-09 and 09-10, they were with us on that. The tax cuts that took place this January to lower the corporate tax rate had been put in place three years ago. So the tax cuts have already taken place. If someone's going to change corporate taxes, which the Liberals claim they are, those are tax hikes. Those are not anything but tax hikes...economists have told us that if they go through with their plan it could cost us up to 280,000 in jobs in Canada to do that."
"I can tell you we're not going to be raising taxes as the other parties have promised you they will be doing."
"I think you're going to find that there is a huge difference between our parties and there is a huge difference between having the stable government that you have had over the last four years and some of the reckless proposals that have been made. Some of the parties have promised up to $28 billion in new spending. And I just don't think that I, or you, or the constituents of Cypress Hills-Grasslands can afford those expensive promises."
Green Party candidate Helmi Scott said support for her party is growing and as part of an international movement they have sound ideas on how to improve Canada.
"Green is not just a nothing party," Scott said. "We have vision and we are in fact international, which is more than any of the other parties can say."
"We will work collaboratively to shift the priorities to promote those innovative ideas so that things will improve. Note, we will work collaboratively, not confrontationally as Harper has."
"We have a vision of what we want Canada to implement. Does it advance the common good? Does it advance global peace and security? Does it ensure Canada's continued quality of life and economic health? Does it make families more secure? Does it protect, enhance and restore the life support system of the planet? That's the ecology part.
"People think that ecology is the only thing we're concerned about. That's not true. That's part of it."
However, Scott contended that the Green Party is the only party that seems to be looking at the issue of climate change.
"I'd like to know why Canada is not leading the world. We should be building those wind turbines in Canada instead of buying them from Denmark. We should be hiring all of those people that could build wind turbines and solar panels and we should be exporting them to the rest of the world. Economically, we are lagging our heels. Why? Because we are hanging on to the idea that a fossil fuel economy is the way to go and it will cost us money if we go alternative energy. It will cost us money if we don't go to alternative energy."
Liberal candidate Duane Filson, who is in his second campaign in the Cypress Hills-Grasslands constituency, said it is time for a change in the Southwest.
"David is a formidable opponent, but 11 years in Ottawa ought to be enough."
Filson said the federal government is not a success despite their assurances to Canadians.
"For me what makes this election, and the last, stand out in the history of Canadian elections, is the approach to democracy of the governing party. Prior to the last election, this government proved its distain for democratic principles in its approach to the Wheat Board, holding a barley plebiscite that only the most partisan could describe as fair.
"Shortly after the last election, in order to avoid certain defeat in the House of Commons, Stephen Harper prorogued parliament. Now Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, introduced his economic update proclaiming that all is well within Canada despite clear evidence of the strengthening recession throughout the world. Mr. Harper's response has been that it was a good buying opportunity. To Conservatives this passes as good fiscal management."
"Now that Mr. Harper is proclaiming that he knew all along what to do during the recession, it seems fair to blame him for the largest deficit in Canadian history, caused by his cautious tax cuts and significant spending increases. So now it is our children who will be paying to restore fiscal balance to the federal coffers."
"Further tax cuts to large corporations, when government debt is mounting, make no sense, especially considering these tax rates are already 25 per cent lower than similar rates in the U.S."
Filson said voters can see Michael Ignatieff leadership strengths during his open campaign.
"Leadership is one of the most startling contrasts between the front runners in this election. The Liberal platform is based on the family. The Liberal Family Pack is a five point plan centered on family. The Canadian Learning Passport will help families pay for post-secondary education. The Early Childhood Learning and Care Program will create more high quality, affordable daycare spaces. Our Family Care Program will help with the cost of care giving. Our program to introduce stronger public pensions will enhance the Canada Pension Plan and provide help to low income seniors. And our Green Innovation Tax Credit will help families save on energy costs and help the environment at the same time."
"The Liberal Party, with its 'big red tent', includes environmental awareness, actual help for families, and prudent economic management," he said.
"The choice is clear. Conservative jails and jets, corporate tax cuts, and ongoing deficits. Or help for families. The politics of fear, or the politics of hope. The time has come to empower the voters of the Southwest. The time has come to rise up."
NDP candidate Trevor Peterson went on the attack against the failings of the direction established by the Harper government.
"I believe public policy should be guided by fairness, compassion, and cooperation. The government does not owe its citizens a livelihood, but it must create an environment which all citizens have the opportunity to create a livelihood for themselves and be productive citizens. This support is not happening. Not for our seniors, not for our farmers, not for our students and not for our families. Only the well connected have gotten ahead under Liberal and Conservative governments of the recent past."
Peterson stated that statistics from the Canadian Centre of Policy Alternatives show that low and middle income earners have not seen an increase in spending power since the mid 1970s. He said that average Canadians are not seeing the benefits of their harder work, while the richest one per cent have captured 33 per cent of the income gain from Canada's economic growth since the mid 70s.
He points to the fact that corporate income taxes have been cut 10 times since 2000, dropping from 29 to 16.5 per cent.
"That's nearly a 50 per cent cut in 11 years. $720 billion in lost revenue, $60 billion since Harper has taken over. And these corporate tax cuts are not working. Corporations are taking their tax cuts and investing them outside of Canada. They are hiding their profits in tax havens to avoid paying even more tax, costing us close to $3 billion a year. They're even shipping their jobs outside of Canada. They pack up, they take the tax cuts, and they take their jobs and they leave."
He said the NDP job creation platform would be partially driven through a cut small business taxes from 11 to 9.0 per cent.
"Small businesses create the majority of the jobs. If corporations want a tax cut, we'll give them a $4,500 tax rebate for every job they create. Create the job first, and then we'll give you the tax cut. That's called accountability."
Peterson also said that healthcare is a major issue which needs to be addressed with real solutions.
"We need to fix this healthcare crisis - a crisis by choice. Both the Conservative and Liberal governments of the past have drastically cut transfer payments for healthcare to the province. They made that choice. We need to fund, enforce and expand the Canada Health Act. Jack Layton will expand healthcare coverage to include homecare and long term care; work with the provinces to hire 1,200 new doctors, 6,000 new nurses; recruit rural medical students so they can come back and practice in their own communities. A national pharmacare program. The cost of pharmaceutical drugs is increasing at 10 per cent a year. A pharmacare program will be economically feasible by giving us bargaining power, eliminating kickbacks, and having publicly-funded research, not directed just at commercial profit."
"These are only a few of the practical steps in the NPD platform," he said. "Jack Layton and the NDP have practical solutions, economically viable, to make life more affordable for all Canadians, not just the well connected."
