Will it be Peggy or Skip?

Sault Ste. Marie and area New Democrats will gather at the Delta Sault Ste. Marie Waterfront Hotel Tuesday at 7 p.m. to choose their candidate for the next federal election.

For the first time in many years there is a contest for the Sault NDP nomination.

Peggy Lauzon, founder and president of The Aberdeen Group (which provides accounting and consulting services to small businesses and not-for-profits), and Skip Morrison, an Essar Steel Algoma employee and Manulife Securities financial advisor, are competing to represent the NDP locally in the next federal election campaign.

The next federal election is scheduled to be held October 19.

On Monday, both candidates shared their thoughts with SooToday as to what issues top their list of concerns.

"The top issue for me has been the loss of our democracy under Stephen Harper," Lauzon wrote in an email.

"A lot of the measures that he has brought in either have, or attempt to, disenfranchise huge numbers of people across Canada, so I think our very democratic process is at stake in this coming election. We simply cannot afford another four years of Stephen Harper."

Morrison agreed.

"I think the biggest concern nationally is Bill C-51 (the government's anti-terrorism act)…the NDP opposed it and for good reason."

"It is a direct attack on individual Canadians democratic rights," Morrison said, speaking to SooToday.

"It is a horrible piece of legislation that needs to be repealed, and I think that is the number one issue nationally."

Both candidates for the nomination spoke of First Nations issues as a local and national priority.

"I think that this government has a deplorable record when it comes to First Nations, Métis and other aboriginal peoples," Lauzon wrote.

"It’s shocking to see a government so willing to vilify and undermine an entire population the way that it has, and the first steps to righting that relationship begin with the implementation of the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission," Lauzon's email stated.

"We have a moral and legal obligation to fully address First Nations concerns on a nation-to-nation basis," Morrison said.

"In light of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendations, I can' t say it any more simply or as emphatically as that."

Regarding local economic issues facing Saultites, Lauzon wrote "locally, precarious employment and meaningful opportunities for young people continue to be major issues affecting Sault Ste. Marie."

"In some ways, we have weathered the worst of the economic downturn so far, but many people are just hanging on by the skin of their teeth."

"If young people are going to come back to Sault Ste. Marie or continue to make their lives in the North, they need to be able to do more than just get by, they need to be able to thrive."

"Small business is another major issue for the Sault, one that I understand very well, given I run my own small business that provides accounting and consulting services for other businesses and not-for-profits."

"Small businesses are a huge contributor to the diversification of our local economy, but this government keeps putting more pressure on them. The tax credit included in the last budget was needlessly convoluted, while the quarterly employer remittance scheme adds even more weight to that load."

"These enterprises are managing monies in trust, through payroll deductions and their own contributions, with no support on how to do that properly, and with penalties as high as 20 percent if they are late."

"We need to do a better job of making sure that existing and emerging small businesses are actually supported, and that small business owners don’t end up living in poverty or going bankrupt."

"It's intolerable that the government initiated investigation into dumping of steel pipe after layoffs were announced at Tenaris Tubes," Morrison said.

"There should be ongoing scrutiny on dumped imports into the country...monitoring should be done on a more regular basis."

"That's priority number one (locally), I think," said Morrison, who is the first ever Local 2251 steelworker attempting to become a federal representative for the Sault.

"It's also obvious there are disadvantaged groups in this community, young families who are in dire need of a subsidized daycare program."

Morrison also said the recent NDP victory in the Alberta provincial election, after decades of Conservative rule, has helped the NDP in the polls federally, but said it is not the only factor involved in a surge of support for the party.

"There is always some impact on voter decisions when they look at other results that create momentum,  but regardless, (NDP leader) Tom Mulcair's popularity has increased simply because more and more voters are noticing he has the most substance of the three leaders."

Either Lauzon or Morrison will face Conservative MP Bryan Hayes, who will be running for re-election in Sault Ste. Marie in the federal vote.

The Liberals have yet to officially pick their candidate for the Sault riding, but Ward 2 city councillor Terry Sheehan announced last month he is seeking the party's nod.

In Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing, incumbent NDP MP Carol Hughes is running for re-election.

She will be challenged by Liberal candidate Heather Wilson and Conservative Andre Robichaud.