Face-to-face

County residents take measure of provincial election candidates

The local candidates in the forthcoming provincial election presented a polite and mostly uncontentious overview of their party’s platforms on Monday night in Picton. All four candidates, Todd Smith (PC), Georgina Thompson (Liberal), Merrill Stewart (NDP) and Anita Payne (Green), appeared uneasy on their feet and, at times, poorly prepared for the County debate before about 100 residents. Even the softball questions lobbed by the hosts Prince Edward Federation of Agriculture (PEFA) and the Prince Edward County Chamber of Tourism and Commerce (PECCTAC) appeared to send the candidates scurrying for answers in their notes.

The incumbent, Todd Smith, was clearly the most effective presenter, but even he tended to muddle answers that might have been answered in a more direct way. Only when Smith returned to PC planks such as reducing red tape, ending subsidies to renewable energy companies and creating jobs did he regain solid footing.

Georgina Thompson, former chair of the Local Health Integration Network (LHIN), gingerly navigated questions regarding the development of a new hospital in Picton. She struggled, as well, to explain how the addition of a new payroll tax proposed by the Liberal party would be good for small business.

But Thompson’s task was bound to be a difficult one in the County, given this community’s mistrust of healthcare officials in general, and the LHIN in particular. The room was sprinkled with POOCH (Patrons of Our CountyHospital) buttons. Given the low expectations, Thompson likely performed better than anticipated. Much of the evening for her was spent defending her party’s record. She appeared to do so with ease and self assuredness, even if lacking in substance.

The gathering learned very little about Merrill Stewart. The candidate seems intent on simply putting a voice to the policies, platforms and slogans of the NDP. In his opening remarks, Stewart eschewed the opportunity to tell the gathering about his background, instead listed the NDP’s catch-phrases: middle class families; 10 years of scandal; Liberals need a time out; and, Tim’s plan doesn’t make sense. Too often when asked a question Stewart was forced to resort to his binder for a response.

Anita Payne is a retired schoolteacher who lives in Perth. She is carrying the banner for the Green Party in Prince Edward-Hastings. She is a self-proclaimed climate activist seeking to change politics in as to “build a resilient community in order to get through the changes that are coming.”

On issues closer to PrinceEdwardCounty, Payne relied heavily on generalities. In response to a question about the Picton hospital, Payne said the Green party stands for healthy living and healthy eating as a means to lowering health care costs.

On the issue of preserving land for agriculture Payne was more prescriptive, saying her party favours permanently protecting Class 1 farmland from development. Further, she said the Green party will pay farmers to preserve their land.

Organizers worried that a hockey game and prime planting conditions might keep folks away— but a decent sized crowd of 100 people listened attentively to the presentations and used the opportunity provided by PEFA and PECCTAC to make a face-to-face assessment of the provincial candidates.