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Meet the candidates: Mike MacEachern, Liberal

October 15, 2015   ·   0 Comments

Former mayor of New Tecumseth, Mike MacEachern, is asking for your vote on October 19th. MacEachern is the official candidate in Simcoe–Grey, representing the Liberal Party of Canada, and has 17 years of political experience. He says, “with hard work everything is possible”, which coincides with his party’s belief that “Better is Possible”.
We asked Mr. MacEachern 18 questions on topics of national and local interest. Here are his answers:
• What is the most immediate and pressing threat to our security and why?
I think the most pressing security threat is the fact that we are not providing our military members the equipment they need to do their jobs effectively. There have been dramatic cuts to Canada’s defence budget and together with this money allocated for our military has gone unspent forcing our members to make due with outdated tools. A Liberal government would take immediate action to ensure the men and women of the Canadian Forces have the equipment and support they need to protect Canada and its sovereignty. Together with this we would not make veterans fight the government for the support that we have a sacred obligation to provide them.
• Will your party commit to delivering for people with disabilities, particularly women and girls with disabilities and others facing multiple forms of discrimination?
Liberals are committed to building an accessible and inclusive society for all Canadians. We believe that the federal government should work with the Provinces and Territories, as well as with Canadians with disabilities and their advocates to build a truly equal society without barriers to participation. After years of inaction we will fully implement the UN Convention on Right of Persons with Disabilities. My local non-profit work and experience as Mayor of New Tecumseth has given me first hand knowledge of the work being done in our communities and the work that still needs to be done.
• Do you think Canada should be at war in Iraq and Syria?
I believe that Canada has a role in the global fight against ISIL. We should refocus our military efforts on training local forces and providing more humanitarian aid. Currently there is no concrete plan for Canada or clearly identified mission in the region.
• What will your party do to reduce the gap between rich and poor in Canada?
A Liberal government would stop sending cheques to millionaires. Instead we would focus support on middle class Canadians and those working hard to join the middle class. We would reduce income taxes for those making between $44,700 and $89,401 by 7% and would introduce a Canada Child Benefit providing a larger tax free benefit to families that need it most. Our plan would raise almost 315,000 kids out of poverty more than the other two parties plans combined. We would immediately roll back the age of eligibility for the Guaranteed Income Supplement and Old Age Security from 67 to 65 putting $13,000 in the pockets of the lowest income Canadians as they become seniors.
• What action will your party take on climate change?
First we will unmuzzle government scientists so that decisions are being made with all the facts. A Liberal government will review the environmental assessment process that has been gutted in recent years. We will review the amendments to the Fisheries Act and the elimination of the Navigable Waters Protection Act which local Conservation Authorities strongly opposed as the system went from protecting 40,000 lakes to only protecting 97 and went from protecting 2.5 million rivers to only protecting 63. We will restore robust environmental assessments, ensure decisions are based on science and facts, and provide meaningful ways for interested Canadians to participate in the environmental assessment process.
• Would you support a bill providing protection against discrimination for trans people?
Liberals are committed to building an inclusive society for all Canadians.
• If elected, will you commit to preserving same-sex marriage rights?
I am committed to maintaining and building an inclusive society for all Canadians.
• Should pre-campaign, spending rules be changed to include contribution limits from corporations, unions, special interest groups, etc.?
The more important thing to stop is the use of government advertising for partisan political activities. This practice is wrong and the abuse has to stop.
The important loophole to close is the loophole that allows political parties to spend unlimited money in the period before an election is called that creates an uneven playing field. We will review the limits on how much political parties can spend during elections and ensure that spending between elections is also subject to that limit.
• Should the long-form census be brought back?
Yes the long form census should be immediately brought back along with making Statistics Canada more independent. Canadians expect their governments to produce policies and programs based on facts. The removal of the long-form census has hurt Canadians and the government programs and services they rely on. I know that this change was made despite calls by our local governments to not get rid of the long form census as it effected the ability of our local governments to measure the impacts of our programs. The Auditor General has indicated that the most recent data collected after the removal of the long form census is unreliable for approximately 25% of Canada and costs $22 million more to administer.
• What is your early child care policy?
The future of the Canadian economy and health of our society depends on our children having the strongest possible start in life. We will exercise strong leadership to ensure that Canadians are able to access affordable high quality child care spaces no matter where they live in Canada.
Liberals announced early on in this election that we would make it possible for parents to take longer leaves up to 18 months to care for their children. Additionally we would provide a larger tax free benefit to help parents with the high costs of raising their children.
The Liberal Party of Canada believes that access to affordable high quality child care improves life outcomes for children and allows parents to concentrate on improving their family’s prospects.
• Where do you stand on income–splitting?
Liberals support keeping income splitting for pensioners. We believe that cutting taxes for middle income earners is the best way to support the people who need it most. Liberals believe in helping lower income Canadians and not sending government cheques to millionaires. Even a former finance minister for the Conservative government has said that he was not sure that income splitting benefits our society overall.
• What is your stance on reducing green house emissions without your policy carrying a big economic penalty?
It is 2015 and Canadians no longer have to choose between the environment and the economy. Climate change is real. A Liberal government would attend the 2015 UN Climate Change conference and would within 90 days of forming the government call a first ministers meeting with the Provinces and Territories to collaborate on a concrete plan to fight climate change informed by the best economic and scientific analysis. The Federal government would provide leadership and funding to help provinces and territories advance their goals.
• What is your opinion concerning coalition governments?
I believe in making government work for the people. Liberals believe it is important to work with all parliamentarians to advance the things that are important to Canadians. We have put forward a number of ideas that we would like to put in place to improve how government works and to move power away from the Prime Ministers Office. We would improve transparency and would focus efforts on involving all Canadians including youth in the decisions that effect them.
• How does your party plan to keep crime rates dropping and what specifically will you do to prevent an increase (ie: tougher sentencing)?
Mandatory minimums have a place for extreme crimes when necessary to protect the public from specific threats. However, evidence shows that mandatory minimums do not deter the majority of crimes and therefore are not in these instances in the interest of public safety. A Liberal government will focus on protecting Canadians and making our communities by pursuing policies that reduce crime and prevent reoffending.
• What is your parties “marijuana policy”?
The current approach to marijuana is failing our children. As we know a recent World Health Organization report indicates that Canada has the highest teen use of marijuana amongst the countries surveyed. The system is clearly broken. The Liberal solution is clear if we pass smart laws that tax and strictly regulate marijuana we can better protect our children while preventing millions of dollars from going into the pockets of criminal organizations and street gangs.
• What is your stance on refugees and internationally displaced people?
A Liberal government would restore and expand a safe, secure and humane refugee program for Canada. We will invest $200 million over this fiscal year to increase-without reducing health and safety standards- refugee processing as well as sponsorship and settlement services capacity in Canada. We will focus on family reunification and meeting our commitments to United Nations High Commission for Refugees. We will grant immediate permanent residency to new spouses entering Canada rather than imposing a two year conditional status that puts spouses often women in extreme vulnerability.
• Are we as Canadians being “soft on terror” by not implementing further anti-terrorism laws?
We need fact based legislation that actually protects Canadians. We can both improve our security while protecting our rights and freedoms. Liberals are committed among other things to establishing an all-party security oversight committee.
• What should be done to ensure further transparency in governance with our federal leaders?
Liberals would make transparency a fundamental principle across the Government of Canada. Government data and information would be open by default. We would give Canadians a voice in Ottawa by allowing more independence of members of parliament and government watchdogs. We would end partisanship in the senate and provide better and more timely services to Canadians.
• What are you doing for the Simcoe-Grey communities
The Liberals have announced a number of initiatives that are good for our communities.
Liberals have announced we would make the biggest investments in infrastructure in history. We are the only party to respond to what local Mayors, councillors and communities have asked for. Communities are in desperate need of infrastructure funding to repair roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, build affordable housing and seniors facilities.
Additionally, we recognize that we have asked public safety officers to stand in harm’s way to protect Candians so we have announced a “Community Heroes” plan to provide a public safety compensation benefit to be paid to the families of firefighters, police officers, and paramedics killed or permanently disabled in the line of duty. We will also develop a co-ordinated approach to post-traumatic stress disorder that disproportionately affects public safety officers. The support that a first responder receives should be based on their need not where they live.

By Wendy Gabrek

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