Federal Politics: One On One With The Candidates – Green Party’s Daniel Bryce

We have provided all of the candidates in the 2011 federal election the opportunity to answer our questions and add any comments of their own. The candidate’s answers are published in no particular order but as they are received.

The interviews are published in ‘One On One With The Candidates’ and can be found in our Politics section under Federal Politics.

If you have further questions or comments addressed to the candidates please use the Comments Box below the post or email us at: editor@abbotsfordtoday.ca

Green Party's Daniel Bryce

Green Party’s Daniel Bryce

Question #1. How are people responding to you so far in this election?

Answer. Most of my campaign has been online so far which has been filled with almost entirely positive responses. The few events I have been part of so far have also been very positive. As we get closer to the election I will be spending more time doing public events and expect to experience more of the same.

Question # 2. Are the issues people are talking to you about being dealt with in the campaign?

A. There is an incredible range of different issues that people think are important. From the economy to the environment; from energy security to the privatization of water; from the role of Canada as a peacekeeper not a military power to the danger of open net farmed salmon; from the ethical treatment of animals to what the Green Party will do for the Arts in Canada. And yes we do have policy for all of those things.

Question #3. Prior to the election the HST was a big issue in BC. Only NDP leader Jack Layton has brought it up during the campaign.

What are your thoughts?

A. My thoughts are that people don’t mind paying taxes if they know that the money is going toward things they want and need. They do NOT like paying taxes when that tax was introduced after they were told it would not be implemented and they didn’t see it as really necessary. The HST is an example of the later and I am not surprise there is so much antagonism toward it.

The Green Party has not talked much about the HST specifically because we want to significantly restructure the tax system to reduce the amount of income tax all Canadians pay. To achieve this I don’t think the complete removal of the HST is on the table, a reduction to 10% or less would definitely be pushed as well as the removal of many more things from the list of taxable products and services.

Question #4. Locally a great number of people seem disturbed and angry that a private company might be given access to our water supply in order to allow city officials to access federal funds through a P3 approach to financing the necessary work.

What is your reaction?

A. I think the City has been bullied in some respects by the Federal government by having funds only available if a P3 approach is used. If the funds were available whether or not it was P3 and the City still made the choice for such significant Private involvement then I would have harsher words for George and Council. As it stands I feel like the City has its hands tied, in that they want to have the infrastructure for growth but are only given one questionable option by the Conservative Government.

As far as my opinion on the actual need for this water expansion; I feel that the projected growth for Abbotsford is slightly unrealistic and that our funds would be much better spent increasing efficiency and conservation of our water.

Question #5. Immigration has become an important issue in this election, particularly a family’s ability to reunite by helping parents and grandparents join them in Canada.

How will a Green government deal with the issue?

A. Canada relies heavily on our immigrant population for our global success. The reuniting of a family should never be a problem when the original immigrants have met all the requirements. We need to accelerate the process to make it happen in months instead of the years it currently is taking some immigrants to reunite with loved ones.

On top of this we want to do the following:
Work to remove unnecessary barriers recognizing the professional credentials of immigrants.
Support multicultural communities by assisting cultural organizations to obtain charitable status.
Improve cultural and business links with the home countries of new Canadians.
Work with municipalities and provinces to improve the integration of new Canadians into the multicultural fabric of our country.

Toughen the regulations governing the practices of immigration consultants; ensure enforcement and increase penalties for those convicted of human smuggling.

Regularize the estimated 200,000 people living in Canada without official status.

Question# 6. What sort of change can residents look for if you are elected to represent them in Ottawa?

A. The first things that will be seen is a significant increase in the involvement of Youth in formal Politics in Abbotsford, you will see rail for the valley promoted and organic farming and community Gardens become more prevalent. I will be fighting to have Canada re-take its position as a leader in peacekeeping, increase its international aid and begin to transform our trade image from a country full of relatively cheap raw resources to a country of value added sustainable resources and innovators in green technology. You will see a member of Canada’s parliament take up the cause of Climate Change to be a leader on the World stage like we have yet to see from anyone in our government.

Question #7. Did I forget to ask you anything or is there anything else you would like to comment on.

There is no perfect political party even though some may suggest that there is, all parties are made up of the individual members, their ideas and their deeply held beliefs. All I can hope for is that what I stand for resonates with the people of Abbotsford, and especially those that have never bothered to pay attention to politics and have never voted.

Editor’s Note: We have provided each of the candidates with an opportunity to respond to these questions and add any comments they wish. We’ve created a section for their responses under Federal politics called One On One With The Candidates.

If you have further questions or comments addressed to the candidates please use the Comments Box below the post or email us at: editor@abbotsfordtoday.ca