1. What action will the federal government take in the foreseeable future to fund and/or support the construction of a new pool/recreational facility in 100 Mile House? Possibly through health and recreational grants? When smaller towns like Kimberley and Creston already have such facilities.
2. Both the government of Canada and the government of British Columbia are engaged in treaty negotiations with the First Nations in this riding. In that process, there has been a lack of proper consideration for the rights of third-party stakeholders, such as range tenure holders. What is your party’s policy to deal with this problem and provide proper compensation and a fair remedy?
3. What immediate plans would your party have to invest in the development of new businesses in the 100 Mile House area through low/no tax incentives to attract new young families to the area? Businesses like computer-related industry, R&D facilities, apprentice programs all of which would enhance federal/provincial industry knowledge bases.
4. What long-term plan does your party have for dealing with the present and ongoing demographic shift? An increasing proportion of seniors in the population will bring higher medical costs and greater need for affordable supportive housing. As fewer employers offer pension plans, there is likely to be a greater number of people largely or wholly dependent on public pensions.
Cathy McLeon
Conservative candidate
1. Over the past seven years, I have developed a strong relationship with municipal leaders across Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo and worked to ensure they have access to any available funding. Our government proudly established the 10-year, $53-billion New Building Canada Plan for provincial and municipal infrastructure. The plan is the largest and longest federal infrastructure plan in Canada's history.
Particularly relevant to 100 Mile House is the Community Improvement Fund, consisting of the Gas Tax Fund and the Goods and Services Tax Rebate for municipalities, which provide over $32 billion to municipalities for community infrastructure projects, including recreational facilities. Through these programs, our municipalities themselves identify priorities. While 100 Mile House has not brought such a proposal to my attention yet, I will be pleased to continue identifying funding opportunities and work together with them to achieve their goals.
2. Just recently ranchers from the Lac la Hache area flagged a significant concern to me regarding this issue.
I was pleased to sit down with them to understand the scope of their concerns. Since this Parliament is currently dissolved, the means to investigate this issue are currently limited.
However, once the campaign is over, I plan to make this a top priority.
3. In government, we have taken significant action to support job-creating businesses and research by lowering taxes, cutting red tape, and encouraging entrepreneurship.
This has included initiatives like the Small Business Job Credit, or our announcement to reduce the small business tax rate from 11 to nine per cent by 2019.
We have supported programs like Community Futures, servicing small business in rural communities, or the Industrial Research Assistance Program accelerating the growth of business through innovation and technology.
Our ambitious free trade agreements with the Trans Pacific Partnership and the European Union will provide unique opportunities for those in Cariboo. Every sector and region of the Canadian economy will benefit including agriculture, forestry and mining.
These agreements will protect and create Canadian jobs by giving Canadian businesses access to some of the most dynamic markets in the world.
4. Population aging will be a key challenge over the coming decades.
Canada is better prepared than many countries to adjust to the demographic changes underway.
The Conservative Party has been working to provide extra support for seniors across Canada with lower taxes, solid pensions, and strong health care. Action has been taken already to remove over 380,000 seniors from the tax rolls with measures like pension income splitting; increasing the Age Credit amount and Pension Income Credit by $2,000 each, or making the largest GIS increase in over 25 years.
We have also supported affordable housing project like the Pioneer Haven development. A re-elected Conservative government will establish a $2,000 Single Seniors Tax Credit extending additional tax relief to nearly 1.6 million single or widowed seniors.
Building on initiatives like these we can ensure our seniors remain financially comfortable now and into the future.