Three of six candidates engage in Chamber forum

Three of the six candidates running for Sault MPP in the June 2 provincial election took part in a virtual Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce candidates forum Thursday evening.

Incumbent Progressive Conservative Ross Romano, NDP candidate Michele McCleave-Kennedy and Independent candidate Naomi Sayers fielded questions prepared by the Chamber and presented their visions of the Sault and its place in Ontario.

Liberal candidate Liam Hancock, the Green Party’s Keagan Gilfillan and New Blue hopeful Shane Pankhurst did not attend the forum.

Sayers, a lawyer, said she would best represent the Sault in the Legislature because as an Independent MPP, she would work with constituents on issues that matter most to them while not being tied to a party line.

PC Romano - a lawyer by profession - said it would be best for him to be re-elected as a member of the Ford government in order to keep the momentum going on a number of files, pointing to government help for Algoma Steel, Tenaris, new homes being built, development of the twin pad arena, long term care investments and support for the Residential Withdrawal Management site.

McCleave-Kennedy, an educator, said the NDP would be best to take care of social issues such as addressing poverty and providing support for mental health and addictions services as well as more funding for more services for children with autism.

Each candidate said building infrastructure for a stronger local economy is important. 

Sayers said more four-laning of highways surrounding the Sault would ensure goods get into the city easier and safer, pointing to the Highway 17 bypass east of the city, near Garden River First Nation, as a life-saver.

Romano said the government has helped with infrastructure, pointing to the widening of Black Road.

He said the government has spent $640 million in northern highway improvements and is committed to building a road to bring the Ring of Fire project to reality, stating the NDP is opposed to any major road building.

Each candidate was asked how to retain youth in light of soaring real estate prices.

Romano said good paying jobs at Algoma Steel and OLG as well as future good paying jobs stemming from Sault College’s nursing and engineering programs will create the prosperity among young people needed to buy homes and put down roots in the Sault.

Sayers said it is important to ensure workers are not being exploited and not having to work two or three jobs to make ends meet.

McCleave-Kennedy agreed on that point, adding there needs to be affordable housing and affordable rent rather than merely focusing on building new subdivisions.

Each candidate was quizzed on what to do about the cost of living, including rising gas and grocery prices.

Sayers said it’s hard to get around northern Ontario in her work as a lawyer with gas prices so high, while Romano said the government will work to lower gas prices.

He said the NDP would raise gas prices, while McCleave-Kennedy said an NDP government would regulate prices at the pumps.

Each candidate spoke of the importance of helping Indigenous entrepreneurs and job training.

Sayers said Indigenous businesses need to be let into the procurement process and not left out of opportunities for innovation.

McCleave-Kennedy agreed with Sayers and said it’s important to get Indigenous men and women into skilled trades training, while Romano said the government has made it possible for Indigenous students to get OSAP.

When asked about the mental health and addictions crisis in the Sault, Romano said it is imperative to be proactive and get those struggling with those issues the help they need before they get to hospital in-patient services.

Romano pointed to the government’s role in building such services as the Residential Withdrawal Management site, the RAAM Clinic and the Mobile Wellness Bus as good out-patient examples of managing the opioid crisis.

Sayers said people don’t need to wait for budgets to be passed, and that as an Independent MP, she would call for action on the opioid crisis locally within 90 days of taking office and hold quarterly roundtables with all sectors of the community to ensure everyone has a voice in managing the opioid crisis.

McCleave-Kennedy said an NDP government would make it possible to have access to more mental health and addictions services to be covered by OHIP.

In closing, the three candidates were asked what issues they felt were the most important going into the election campaign’s home stretch.

Sayers repeated that immediate action must be taken to address mental health and addictions - including regular roundtables - immediately after the election.  

McCleave-Kennedy said affordability and improved healthcare - such as the hiring of more nurses, doctors and specialists - is needed, along with improved daycare in a “people over profits” viewpoint.

Romano said it is imperative to keep rebuilding the economy after the pandemic, ensure Ontario has its own PPE supply without relying on outside sources, avoid lockdowns, reduce fees and keep gas prices from rising any more.

The provincial election will be held in Ontario June 2.