Climate change dominates Cardigan candidate roundtable

The question may have been about jobs, but the candidates in the federal riding of Cardigan in eastern P.E.I. wanted to talk about climate change.

Four of the five candidates in the riding were on Island Morning Wednesday for a roundtable discussion.

"When we can get where we need to with respect to carbon in this country that will create numerous, numerous jobs, and those will be the kinds of jobs that can be anywhere," said Green Party candidate Glen Beaton.

Liberal candidate Lawrence MacAulay said his government had committed to nearly $70 billion in climate action spending.

"This investment in environmental research will also create economic benefits," said MacAulay.

Some of those benefits, he said, are coming to the Cardigan riding with the new UPEI climate research centre in St. Peters.

But NDP candidate Lynne Thiele said the government needs to do more.

"Building something now to study something, we're in an emergency. I don't think that's quite the way," said Thiele.

"It's not going to work immediately and what we need is something immediately."

Infrastructure, taxes, and budgets

Conservative candidate Wayne Phelan identified a different issue when it came to creating local jobs.

"Basic infrastructure hasn't been put into this province in the last 15 years, at least," said Phelan.

"In order for people to have work in rural Prince Edward Island they need to have the infrastructure in place to do it. It's that simple."

Phelan focused in particular on the need for high-speed internet connections to allow people to work from home, either for others or in home-based businesses.

Phelan also took the opportunity to attack the Liberal tax plan.

"We all know the wealthiest one per cent in this country don't pay taxes. A plan based on taxing the top one per cent in this country is absolutely ridiculous," he said.

"It's going to end up right on our backs, the middle class and the lower class. Same as it's always been."

Thiele responded she didn't think the Conservatives were going to have the answer to Canada's taxation problems.

MacAulay said Phelan may want to talk about infrastructure, but said there is no money in the Tory plan for it.

"When you're taking $53 billion out [of the budget], there's going to be cuts in wharf repair, all programs right across the board," he said.

Beaton accused the Liberals of making lots of promises during the election campaign, but making little progress in their four years in government.

Christian Heritage Party candidateChristene Squires was invited to take part in the forum, but said she couldn't attend due to work commitments.

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