Wide range of topics discussed at Cosmos candidates meeting
Roger Varley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
U.S. tariffs, doctor shortages, housing and the election itself: these were just some of the topics addressed Monday night at the arena by two of the candidates seeking to win the Pickering-Uxbridge riding in the Feb. 27 provincial election.
Current MPP Peter Bethlenfalvy, Progressive Conservative, and Ibrahim Daniyal, Liberal, were the only candidates to attend the meeting, hosted by the Uxbridge Cosmos. The NDP candidate, Khalid Ahmed, sent his regrets, while the other five candidates in the riding did not respond to the Cosmos's invitation.
Out of a slate of eight candidates running in the riding of Pickering-Uxbridge, only Progressive Conservative candidate and incumbent Peter Bethlenfalvy, left, and Ontario Liberal Party candidate Ibrahim Daniyal were on hand to speak to Uxbridge residents about what to expect for the next four years. Photo by John Cavers
In their opening statements to a crowd of about 60-70 people who braved the elements to attend the meeting, Bethlenfalvy argued that the Ford government needs a mandate for the next four years to fight against American President Donald Trump's threatened tariffs.
"We will never be the 51st state," he said, "but we have a heck of a fight on our hands."
Daniyal concentrated on the issue of doctor shortages and the number of Ontarians who do not have a family doctor.
When asked what they have done and will do to address the problem of homelessness, Bethlenfalvy said that as finance minister he has increased the homelessness budget by 40 per cent, but added that people need more than a roof over their heads, they also need mental health and other support services. Daniyal said the problem has been exacerbated by immigration, saying Ontario doesn’t have the infrastructure to handle the number of immigrants. He said a Liberal government would offer bigger financial support for homeless people and "build infrastructure for our people."
He also said the federal government needs to do more on homelessness.
"Now it's just the province and the municipalities," he said.
On the question of tariffs, Bethlenfalvy again stressed "we are in a fight." He said Ontario is the strongest province financially and part of the fight against tariffs will be to increase infrastructure faster, tackle regulations and take the led in reducing provincial trade barriers.
Asked what they would do to address the doctor shortage, Daniyal said it needs to be easier for internationally trained physicians to be licenced and there must be an increase in the number of students in medical schools. Bethlenfalvy, after saying the previous Liberal government had made big cuts in health care, pointed to his work in obtaining a new hospital and long-term care facility for Uxbridge. He also said three new medical schools have been opened in the province under the Ford government.
One member of the audience wanted to know why the current election is necessary, pointing out that Premier Ford already had a majority in the legislature.
Bethlenfalvy responded: "I'm not going to let some guy down south dictate our schedule."
Another audience member asked why the parties in the legislature don't work together in a bi-partisan manner.
Daniyal accused the Ford government of making backroom deals and putting profits over people. He said working together means "common ground comes from common ideas," implying it is difficult for parties with different policies to work together.
Bethlenfalvy noted that in Ontario politics "we don't see the toxicity that we see south of the border."
“We will never be the 51st state, “but we have a heck of a fight on our hands.”
The only eyebrow-raising moment of the evening came about when one audience member, after questioning Bethlenfalvy on provincial housing laws, approached the candidates and pulled out her recently received $200 tax rebate cheque from the Ford government. She then placed it down on the table in front of Daniyal, saying, “Thank you for the $200, I’m putting it here where I’m hoping it will do some good,” receiving a smattering of applause.
In their closing statements, Daniyal reiterated that there are too few doctors and seniors are not receiving the support they need.
"We can't afford four more years of Ford's government," he said.
Bethlenfalvy, referencing the various provincial grants the township has received and the new hospital and LTC home, said: "We've done a lot together in Uxbridge, but we've got a lot more to do. It's going to be bumpy."
The entire list of candidates for the Feb. 27 Ontario election in Pickering-Uxbridge is as follows (alphabetically):
Khalid Ahmed - Ontario NDP
Mini Batra - Green Party of Ontario
Peter Bethlenfalvy - PC Party of Ontario
Ibrahim Daniyal - Ontario Liberal Party
Victoria Devenport - Ontario Party
Netalia Duboisky - Ontario Moderate Party
Adrian Nolan - New Blue Party
Mansoor Qureshi - CPO (Ontario Centrist Party)
For full information on how to vote in the Feb. 27 election, visit elections.on.ca