| Candidate Election Issue Responses |
Allen Small
Markham-Unionville
Libertarian
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Accountability
In a political role, accountability is the acknowledgment and assumption of responsibility for actions, decisions and policies and the obligation to explain and be answerable for resulting consequences. Politicians are often criticized for saying one thing but voting the party line despite constituents' wishes. How would you be more accountable and why should voters believe you? |
| Libertarians would support greater independence for MPs especially in regard to their party. We also advocate that the electorate be empowered to require a vote on the removal of any piece of legislation, by presentation of a petition bearing the signatures of a specified number of qualified electors. We would give the electorate the power to recall theirs MPs for cause or unethical behaviour, again by presentation of a petition bearing the signatures of a specified number of qualified electors. The right of recall would keep MPs more accountable and believable. |
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Economy
Canada's inflation rate has hit a five-year high and we are already feeling the ripple effect of economic troubles south of the border. If elected, what tasks will you undertake to help turn the tide? |
| Libertarians oppose any government involvement in the monetary and banking system. We propose eventual elimination of the Bank of Canada and the termination of government power to issue or regulate currency or credit. The Bank of Canada is the primary cause of inflation when it increases the supply of money (usually by printing too much) at a rate faster than the growth of the economy. This devalues existing money resulting in inflation. Libertarians would support the following reforms: reduction of both taxes and government spending; an end to deficit spending; the removal of all government impediments to free trade, including legislation dealing with industrial labour relations, the Combines Investigation Act, government marketing boards, and government licensing and enforcement of monopolies (for example, the present communications, utilities and transportation agreements); and the repeal of all controls on wages, prices, rents, profits, production, and interest rates. We support the continued freedom of any individual or group to own gold or any other commodity of exchange, as well as the right to produce coinage and issue currency. |
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Environment
Plans for a new peak-demand power plant to serve York Region's growing population have divided the community. What is the solution to York's energy woes and what will you do in a detailed plan, including costs - to address these concerns? |
| Libertarians believe that our whole society is much poorer and starved of opportunities because of Canada's crushing taxes, regulations and central planning which stifle personal and economic initiative. In York Region the electric utility (Power Stream) is a government regulated centrally planned monopoly. If electric power generation was treated like any other service, consumers would be able choose between competing companies that would produce power for profit even while sharing existing power lines. Shortages would be the problem of the company, not the government. The best model I can think of is the current state of telephone or internet service. There are rarely “shortages” of telephone or internet capacity peak use is the problem of the telephone/internet companies, it would be the same for electric power companies. In the case of electric companies there are many creative solutions that people smarter than I would come up with if government would get out of the way. |
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Health Care
Despite ongoing expansion projects, overcrowding and ER backlogs remain a reality in York Region. What's the solution? How will you effectively lobby to get action on this?
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| The reason for the shortages, ER backlogs etc., is because health care is a government controlled coercive monopoly. Libertarians believe that Canadians should be free to purchase their own health care and use private insurance. Health care providers should charge what they feel is necessary. The cost of this private insurance may not be substantially different than the coercive taxes that Canadians now pay, often for services they do not ever use. But the service would be more competitive, certainly more efficient and suited to the needs of Canadians. Libertarians would cease funding provincial health care programs. |
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Social Issues
York Region is a community of immigrants. Services to assist new Canadians are overcrowded, creating lengthy waits. What are you going to do to improve things? Give us a detailed plan explaining where the funds would come from? |
| Libertarians believe that all individuals have the right to choose where to live, provided they do not do so in violation of the rights of others. Therefore we advocate open immigration policies, along with the elimination of all government programs which subsidize immigration. Immigrants to Canada should be prepared accept the economic responsibility and consequences of emigrating. There are many religious and secular organizations that would voluntarily assist immigrants in their transition to Canada. |
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