Name the top three issues going into this federal election, in order of importance:
Randy Anderson-Fennell
1)Millions of families cannot afford to take the medications they need because they have no employer-provided drug coverage. The number of uninsured people forced to skip their medications is growing. Canada is the only wealthy country in the world with a universal health care system that lacks universal prescription insurance coverage. New Democrats will guarantee that every Canadian can get the medication they need. And it will mean big savings for employers who currently pay for employee benefits, helping to reward good employers and boost economic growth. It will also cost our system less overall as a result of pooling the purchasing power of the entire country.
2) People in Delta and across Canada are worried about the future. Flooding and forest fires are threatening our homes. Rising temperatures are threatening our farming and forest industries. It’s clear there’s no time to waste. It’s time to fight climate change like we actually want to win. But we also know that a plan that leaves workers or communities behind is no plan at all. We’ll create at least 300,000 jobs in communities across Canada, and provide training and support for workers as our economy changes. And instead of giving billions in subsidies to huge oil and gas companies, we’ll invest in a future where Canadians have good jobs, clean air and water, and can afford to live a good life.
3) Canada is in the midst of a national housing crisis impacting every area in the country including Delta. Average rents rose in every province last year, and today, 1.7 million Canadian households spend more than 30% of their income on housing. That’s why a New Democratic government will create 500,000 units of quality affordable housing in the next ten years, with half of that done within five years. The NDP will also create a rental benefit, starting immediately and offer a benefit up to $5,000 per household targeted at families who are paying more than 30 per cent of their pre-tax income on housing, as immediate help to make ends meet.
How would you address those issues if you were elected?
I will address these issues head on! I will seize every platform I can to raise awareness of these issues – at home, in Ottawa, and across the country. I will build allies everywhere, so they may help me advance these and other issues that are important to our riding.
I will also work with all parliamentarians who share my priorities to ensure that these priorities get the attention they deserve. Finally, I will meet with citizens and stakeholders on a regular basis to find creative ways to push these issues in Ottawa. Finally, I will hold regular gatherings with my constituents to hear firsthand of their experiences, and provide assistance through my constituency office.
What makes you the best person for this job?
I am an electrician, advocate of the skilled trades, and active community member working to make sure construction has good quality, safe jobs for everyone.
Growing up in a small interior town, I became an apprentice electrician at 19. I spent the first years of my career working in almost every corner of the province before moving to the Delta, where I now live with my wife of 23 years.
I have seen first-hand how working Canadians have been left behind as back-to-back governments keep helping the richest and big corporations get ahead. As an active member in my union, I know we need to make trade deals that help workers and create a low carbon future where everyone can afford the education and training they need.
I will fight for universal pharmacare, new affordable housing, and a plan to tackle climate change and create 300,000 good green jobs.