As the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party remain , a minority government is on the minds of both politicians and the electorate.
That became clear during the Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola all-candidates forum on Wednesday (Oct. 9) at the Westbank Lions Community Centre after an audience member asked the MP hopefuls how they would tackle the hypothetical situation.
乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檝e spoken to a lot of veteran MPs who actually lived through minority governments. I乌鸦传媒檒l tell you what, it is a very rough, turbulent time,乌鸦传媒� said Conservative candidate Dan Albas.
乌鸦传媒淥ftentimes, the relationships are strained and people end up with very hard feelings over a period of time.乌鸦传媒�
Albas went on to explain a recent experience he had working with opposing parliamentarians after a report was released that identified at least $5 billion in real estate money laundering in B.C. over just one year.
乌鸦传媒淚 was so impressed that Liberal members, many who had openly rejected my ideas at the beginning of the process, came around to those same ideas and we presented that to the minister of finance. That乌鸦传媒檚 how the system should work.乌鸦传媒�
Albas said he would be 乌鸦传媒渧ery tested乌鸦传媒� to work with the Bloc Quebecois as 乌鸦传媒淐anada is stronger as a united whole.乌鸦传媒�
READ MORE: Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola candidates discuss issues
READ MORE: Green Party candidate apologizes for Facebook post peddling 9/11 conspiracy
Liberal candidate Mary Ann Murphy said it乌鸦传媒檚 not an issue of whether she乌鸦传媒檚 willing to work with other parties.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 the responsibility of a member of parliament to represent you instead of going to Ottawa to engage in fighting with the other parties and spending most of their time bickering,乌鸦传媒� she said.
乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 sick of that. I乌鸦传媒檓 sick of hearing about it. I would like to see results.乌鸦传媒�
Murphy added that her support of other parties would come 乌鸦传媒渋ssue-by-issue.乌鸦传媒�
乌鸦传媒淐ould I accept one of the party乌鸦传媒檚 positions on immigration? No, I couldn乌鸦传媒檛,乌鸦传媒� she said, motioning towards the People乌鸦传媒檚 Party of Canada candidate Allan Duncan.
乌鸦传媒淐ould I accept the Conservative乌鸦传媒檚 position on the TMX (Trans Mountain Pipeline)? Of course, I could.乌鸦传媒�
She went on to say she would also accept the Green position to work on climate and the NDP乌鸦传媒檚 Indigenous reconciliation policies.
The NDP乌鸦传媒檚 Joan Phillip said she would work with any government that wants to 乌鸦传媒渓ift up people.乌鸦传媒�
乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檝e been subsidizing that top one per cent for too long,乌鸦传媒� she stated.
乌鸦传媒淲orking people should be brought up and not pushed down as they have been over the past 152 years.乌鸦传媒�
According to Phillip, the Conservative and Liberal governments have created a 乌鸦传媒渃ondition乌鸦传媒� in which the wealthiest people are taxed the least.
Duncan believes the parliamentary system already encourages co-operation between MPs and the People乌鸦传媒檚 Party will bring a currently unheard voice to those conversations.
乌鸦传媒淭hat voice needs to be heard. I know there乌鸦传媒檚 a lot of aggressive rhetoric to get that voice out,乌鸦传媒� he said.
乌鸦传媒淚 like to work with as many dance partners as possible. I like making new friends. I乌鸦传媒檇 be willing to work with any of the parties, just as that is part of my personality.乌鸦传媒�
He agreed with Albas that working with the Bloc Quebecois would be a problem but said he would still work with the party on issues that didn乌鸦传媒檛 involve the leverage of separatism.
Robert Mellalieu of the Green Party started his statement on the issue with a pertinent joke: 乌鸦传媒渁 camel is a horse built by committee.乌鸦传媒�
Mellalieu attributed the Green Party乌鸦传媒檚 unwillingness to work with the Conservatives on their stance on environmental issues.
乌鸦传媒淥nce we get them convinced that their climate plan isn乌鸦传媒檛 going to work and they should take a look at the Green one 乌鸦传媒� then we can work with the Conservatives,乌鸦传媒� he said.
Mellalieu also reminded the audience both universal health care and old-age pension were put in place by minority governments.
乌鸦传媒淒on乌鸦传媒檛 be afraid of that. Some good things will come of it,乌鸦传媒� he said.
michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
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