Prince George, B.C. – Today, in part five of our special election feature, we ask the candidates the following question: How would you propose to boost the economy in your riding? What would those changes be? (Answers in alphabetical order).

Prince George-Peace River-Northern Rockies:

Elizabeth Biggar, The Green Party: I am really excited about our parties plan to roll out a National Sustainable Jobs Plan that puts Canadians to work by investing in well-paying, local, sustainable jobs in our communities. The gap between the infrastructure funding our cities and towns need, and the funding they receive, is reaching crisis levels – Canada’s infrastructure deficit is estimated to be upwards of $350-billion. We will work to close this gap by committing $6.4 billion per year, one point of the GST, to municipal infrastructure – providing stable, long-term funding to Canadian municipalities, creating good local jobs, and building vibrant, safe, and livable Canadian towns and cities. We will create additional sustainable jobs by re- introducing and expanding the home renovation
tax credit, to create incentives for individuals and companies to make their homes and businesses more efficient and accessible by installing high-efficiency insulation, solar heating and electricity, energy- efficient appliances, and accessibility upgrades. And we will unleash an army of carpenters, electricians and contractors to take outdated and leaky public buildings – schools, universities and hospitals – and plug the leaks that increase greenhouse gases and costs. These changes alone will reduce carbon emissions by 30 percent nationwide.
Todd Keller, Libertarian Party of Canada: Prince George – Peace River – Northern Rockies is a resourced based economy and uses a lot of services to drive these resources. I would do my best to work with industry to lower the cost of entry to starting a resource service company. Entrepreneurs will lead us out of the coming economic ruin we currently face.

Matt Shaw, Liberal Party: As a commodities trading region, it is vital that we develop our resources, get them to market, and sell them successfully. In order to do this, we must continuously work at expanding and diversifying trade agreements with other nations and securing long-term contracts. We also have to look at ways of adding value to what we already produce. We need to move away from exporting raw bitumen, raw logs, and unrefined metals and promote tax incentives that encourage companies to add as much value as possible to create finished products. Moreover, we need to promote major infrastructure investments in our regions. The Liberal Party has committed to increasing investments in infrastructure by $60 billion over the next ten years. I will make sure that my riding receives its fare share of that investment. We must also create incentives that allow our region to engage in research and development that will allow us to develop our resources in with ever-increasing efficiency. While doing all the above, we have to ensure that high-paying industrial jobs are filled by Canadians and not given to temporary foreign workers. Finally, the Liberal Party has committed to investing $1.3 billion to create meaningful, skilled jobs for young people over the next three years. Much of this funding in my riding would go towards trades apprenticeship programs.

*Note Conservative incumbent Bob Zimmer and NDP challenger Kathi Dickie in the Prince George-Peace River-Northern Rockies riding declined the opportunity to respond.

Cariboo-Prince George:

Tracy Calogheros, Liberal Party: This is a diverse riding with an incredible range of industries and individuals. Quesnel is planning for growth in public-private partnerships for seniors housing and innovative diversification within the wood industry. Vanderhoof is receiving foreign investment, and seeing increasing prices for crops. Williams Lake has large undeveloped mineral deposits and a growing interest in tourism. Prince George is developing as a logistics, medical, educational, and industry centre. Large industries in the region are working towards new technologies that will place us on the international map as world leaders in alternative energies. What is missing is a region-wide consultation as we develop a plan for growth that plays to everyone’s strengths. There are significant new funding programs in the Liberal Platform that, strategically targeted, will inspire and support long-range development in the region. In the short term these programs will inject money into the region for infrastructure projects as we invest in our municipalities.
Sheldon Clare, Independent: In a word – diversify. We need to ensure more opportunities in education to support tech sector jobs, and aid the region in placing more emphasis on renewable resources. Relying so heavily on non-renewable resources has placed our economy at risk. Education in support of technology, agriculture and forestry are in need of support to better balance our economy.

We simply can’t have all our economic eggs in just one basket. We need to redirect our economy’s emphasis, so more value is added before we ship our products, and the education needed for high skilled jobs is made affordable. If we invest in people, and focus on growing our local economy first, I believe Cariboo-Prince George’s future will be very bright.

Adam De Kroon, Christian Heritage Party: We, not just this riding but all of Canada, need to stop the practice of shipping raw materials to other countries. An example of this is raw log exports, in recent years we’ve seen a massive increase in raw logs being shipped from BC to countries like China. By shipping our natural resources to other countries in the raw form we get the lowest monetary return. Processing the raw materials in Canada would create more jobs here! We should strive to export more value-added product, not just raw materials. And I support lowering taxes for small businesses. Small businesses play a valuable role in our economy, especially since they tend to hire from within the local community. Easing the burden on small businesses is a great step towards a better economy. Economic diversification is also very important and will be a necessary step towards a long-term healthy and stable economy in Canada. These are just a few ideas.

Trent Derrick, NDP: Small businesses are the backbone of Canada’s economy and contribute almost 1/3 of Canada’s GDP and create 80% of all new private sector jobs. The NDP will reduce the small business tax rate from 11% to 9%. By providing immediate and reliable help to local small businesses we can generate jobs and help middle class families get ahead.
In Canada, including in our own region, the forestry sector is experiencing great changes in the market and we need a federal government that is ready to work with industry, provinces, and experts to respond to fierce international competition, and to develop a strategy for success. An NDP government will create an innovation tax credit to encourage investment in machinery and equipment used by manufacturers and sawmills to create jobs here at home.
Tom Mulcair and the NDP believe that our forestry sector can be renewed and strengthened by seizing new opportunities all the way up the forest product value-chain. We can do this by developing and implementing innovative technologies, and by supporting the creation of new wood products.

Todd Doherty, Conservative Party: It’s pretty clear for business owners big and small that the biggest challenges for them are excessive red tape and access to a skilled work force.
I would push to get the major resource projects that are on hold to the point where shovels and boots are on these sites and getting them built. Our region already benefits from logging, mining, oil and gas, agriculture and a various other industries, with thousands of people employed in these areas. As the Member of Parliament, I would continue to work with willing partners for progress to take place.
Richard Jacques, Green Party: I would invest in value added timber production and ramp up production quotas in order to boost the local economies to a sustainable level. I would invest in major municipal infrastructure upgrades to boost the local work forces and put people back to work.

Monday’s question: What do you feel are the major issues facing your riding?