A few local candidates running in the provincial election have shared their stances on a range of issues almost exactly one week before election day.
The Kiwanis Club of Sarnia-Lambton Golden K held a meeting Tuesday morning with some candidates in the Sarnia-Lambton riding.
The hybrid meeting was held virtually and allowed for up to 30 in-person attendees.
Incumbent Progressive Conservative candidate Bob Bailey, New Democratic Party (NDP) candidate Dylan Stelpstra, and New Blue Party candidate Keith Benn participated in the meeting. Other candidates vying for the position will be introduced during next Tuesday's meeting.
Candidates began with a brief introduction before diving in to some of the questions which included what they have personally done to reduce their carbon footprint, what their party plans to do to manage Ontario's debt, solutions to improve the situation at long-term care homes, and how to allow those on the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) to move above the poverty line.
While Bailey highlighted the investments the Ford government has made to train new long-term care staff and provide additional beds, Benn and Stelpstra focused on where changes need to be made.
Stelpstra said the COVID-19 pandemic has shown the "corners that were being cut" in for-profit care.
"It shows us that money was being put in front of people. So what the NDP's plan is, is to take for-profit care completely out of the equation. To go back to putting people in front of dollars," he said.
However, Benn said the province doesn't necessarily need to get rid of private care homes but there needs to be greater oversight.
Throughout the meeting Benn also maintained that while his party is not against providing additional financial support to the health care system, they don't believe in throwing money at problems without first understanding them.
"Every person that I ask tells me that the number one problem is staffing. We've heard that a lot of money was thrown at staffing but we still have a staffing problem," said Benn. "That's because we haven't sat down with the stakeholders to work out why they're having trouble with staffing. Is it because of the compensation package? Is it the working conditions? What exactly is it? We need to decide what it is before we can map out a solution to solve the problem."
In terms of providing funding, Bailey underscored the province's promise to provide a boost to ODSP recipients and continued efforts in that regard.
"We promise to increase that immediately following the election at a minimum of at least five per cent. I know there has been talk of more than that, I know five per cent is not enough -- I'll be the first one to stand here and tell you that's not enough. I would work as well to try and see that increased."
Meantime, Stelpstra said people are frustrated with government spending when speaking to a question on how to manage Ontario's debt.
"We're going to ask the people at the top of this province to pay their fair share, we're talking about the multi-millionaires, the billionaires of this province," said Stelpstra. "Introducing dental care, mental care, and pharma care at the federal level... what these things are going to do is they're going to allow people to have more money in their pockets."
Both Bailey and Benn said Ontario's economy was the key to get a handle on the province's finances.
Bailey said since the Ford government has come into power, "a couple hundred thousand" more people are employed and reinvestments are being made in the province.
"There's still a gap of 300,000 jobs that are going unfilled every day. How do we do that? We cut the operating expenses to do business in Ontario by $7.5 billion, $2.5 million went back to safe employers -- not just every employer -- in WSIB cuts," said Bailey.
The local New Blue Party candidate countered Bailey's comments.
"If we do have to go and hand out hundreds of millions of dollars to industries to try and keep [them] afloat or to try and keep a company from leaving the province that indicates to me that there is a major problem that we need to deal with," said Benn. "We need to better understand what the weaknesses of Ontario [are] as a place to invest and develop industry and technology."
Benn also said programs need to be reviewed in order to see what is needed.
In total, there are seven Sarnia-Lambton candidates campaigning. So far two other candidates have confirmed their attendance for the Golden K's meeting on May 31.
Election Day is on June 2, however, advance polls are open until May 29.