There were a few spirited exchanges during last night's Barrie-Innisfil candidates forum, but for the most part it was a cordial affair with many topics being addressed.
There were three Barrie-Innisfil candidates in attendance at Wednesday's debate, which was hosted by CARP (Canadian Association for Retired Persons) at the Sheba Shrine Centre on John Street, including the Conservatives' John Brassard, the Green Party's Bonnie North, and the NDP's Pekka Reinio.
Written answers from Liberal candidate Lisa-Marie Wilson, who was not present due to a school board meeting where she's a trustee representing south-end Barrie, were read aloud by moderator Ron Stevens.
An organizer told BarrieToday an invitation was not extended to Stephanie Robinson from the People's Party of Canada, instead choosing to have candidates from only four parties in the debate.
There were about 80 people in attendance to hear the candidates talk about five prepared questions, prior to a break and then opening the floor to questions. Topics related to seniors included financial security, abuse prevention, social inclusion, caregiving, and pharmacare.
Following the break, the topic of opioids and addiction brought out a fulsome discussion.
"We need to address the opioid crisis," Reinio said. "It seems like the municipal council is stalling for now, and I don't know why."
The NDP candidate said if his party was elected, they would immediatey declare national crisis on opioids, "hopefully freeing some money so municipalities can follow the guidelines of the Simcoe Muskoka (Opioid Strategy), which says we need to have safe injection sites."
North said the stigma needs to be removed, and a big step toward that would be the decriminalization of opioids and other drugs.
"It's a health-care problem, not a criminal problem," she said. "But at the same time, we need to offer the supports. We also have to make sure the traffickers are being dealt with."
The Green Party candidate also noted safe injection sites are only part of the solution.
"Let's triage and make sure we stop the bleeding," North said. "What's happening is people are dying in our streets. We have to stop judging people who have addiction problems and treat them and help them."
Brassard agreed that "treatment solutions" are "part of that toolbox." He said there needs to be a multi-layered approach to opioids, similar to what happened in 2003 during the SARS crisis, and how the "full weight of government" came together to deal with the medical issue that killed 44 people in Canada.
"We're losing a minimum of 44 people a day in this country (to opioids), and yet there's no national-type emergency that is going on today to deal with this opioid crisis," he said, adding the problem is also not just happening in the downtowns of many cities, but has also moved into the suburbs.
"It's going to take money, no question about it, but it's also going to take the will of this country and those who are suffering to make sure we solve this issue," Brassard added. "There's no simple solution to this."
Reinio asked Brassard if Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer would declare an opioid emergency and whether he supports safe injection sites?
Brassard said he hasn't spoken to Scheer about the opioid crisis, but "safe injection sites are an option for the provincial and municipal governments, and it's eventually up to them to decide whether they're going to open them or not. The federal government has made that available to them."
Reinio shot back that Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte MP Alex Nuttall, who did not seek re-election, was heavily involved in the local dialogue around the opioid issue.
"But Mr. Nuttall was interfering in the process municipally many times and he was the federal MP for Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte, so he seemed to be against it," Reinio said. "Does that reflect how the rest of the Conservative government feels about safe injection sites?"
"As I've said, I believe there are better options and better solutions for treatment, and that's what I support," Brassard replied.
Candidates were also asked what they would do specifically to help this riding.
"We would prioritize things in this riding that people find important," said North, while also referring to the Green Party's "listening campaign."
"We're not going out to gather data from people to put that into our database," she said, adding voters are "sick to the teeth" about negative politics. "People are looking at alternatives now."
Brassard said he's been trying to run a positive campaign and agreed that people are "sick and tired of the divisiveness."
"We have some significant challenges locally," added the former city councillor. "The growth will be a significant challenge and the infrastructure that's required to accommodate that growth. And whether we like to think so or not, the federal government is a partner on infrastructure.
"Growth is clearly an issue," Brassard said. "We are building a city to the south of Barrie the size of Orillia and the challenges that go with that."
Reinio said affordable housing is one key area an NDP government would focus on.
"I don't know how anyone gets in the housing market these days," he said. "Houses are so expensive to buy, rent is expensive. We need to do something to make housing more affordable."
Part of the NDP's plan would be to install a foreign buyers tax. People who live outside Canada, who don't pay taxes here, would have to pay a 15 per cent tax. He said it will generate revenue, but also dissuade investors from buying up property and holding onto it until the prices go up.
Reinio said the NDP also has "a bold climate plan" to withdraw "all" subsidies from fossil-fuel industries.
"We should be taking those subsidies and putting them into renewable energies," he said, adding money invested in renewable energy creates more jobs than the fossil-fuel industry.
CARP will hold a similar debate on Wednesday, Oct. 9 beginning at 6:30 p.m., at Steckley-Gooderham Funeral Homes on Worsley Street.
Meanwhile, Barrie-Innisfil candidates will be back in debate mode tonight for an event at the Innisfil ideaLAB & Library Lakeshore Branch (967 Innisfil Beach Rd.) beginning at 7 p.m. It's part of the 100 Debates on the Environment.
Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte candidates will be debating tonight from 7-9 p.m. at Grace United Church, located at 350 Grove St. E.
