Forum saw candidates agree on many issues

DAWSON CITY - Federal election candidates Larry Bagnell (Liberal), John Streicker (Green Party) and Ken Bolton (New Democratic Party) found themselves on the hot seats here Thursday evening.

DAWSON CITY - Federal election candidates Larry Bagnell (Liberal), John Streicker (Green Party) and Ken Bolton (New Democratic Party) found themselves on the hot seats here Thursday evening.

All three acquitted themselves well but, in politics, it remains true that, as Duncan Macleod said in the movie Highlander, “There can be only one.”

In the case of the Dawson forum, none of the participants lost his head.

Opening the two-hour forum, moderator Mark Wickham noted that Conservative candidate Darrell Pasloski had declined to participate in the event due to unspecified scheduling conflicts. (See separate story, this page.)

Each candidate permitted a three-minute opening speech given in an order chosen by lot before the meeting.

Following that, they were each asked to respond to the 16 questions which had been submitted to the local chamber of commerce in advance.

There was no interaction permitted among the candidates and the audience, so some members heckled the moderator, and there was no debate among the candidates.

A couple of the questions related to the status of the Dawson City Arts Society and the arts in general.

All candidates supported the society’s work and were prepared to see it continue to expand its operations, perhaps using other heritage buildings, provided the financial and operational cases can be made.

These questions naturally strayed into references to Bill C-10, the Conservative-backed bill on regulating arts grants which both Bolton and Streicker felt smacked of censorship.

All candidates spoke strongly of the need to reduce the Yukon’s dependency on fossil fuels, but differed on the means.

For Streicker, increased efficiency and alternate energy sources were the way to go.

Bolton mentioned NDP Leader Jack Layton’s pledge to go after big oil companies.

Bagnell began his attempt to show that, in spite of Liberal Leader Stephane Dion’s Green Shift carbon tax plan, individual Yukoners would get more money back in the form of various programs and tax adjustments than they would lose.

These comments also related to a question about the problems facing small businesses.

Bolton felt the current economic turmoil, brought on by the American financial markets crisis and the price of oil, is a key problem.

Bagnell spoke of the three pillars of Dawson’s economy as mining, tourism and the arts, and of how each needs a level of support.

Streicker talked of finding new fuel sources, adding that a carbon tax would at least enable businesses to have a predictable cost to factor into their planning.

Each candidate was in favour of programs that would provide more affordable housing for beginning home owners.

Each supported programs to assist women.

Bagnell noted that one-third of Liberal candidates are women, up from the percentage of women currently in the House of Commons. Streicker reminded the audience that his party leader is a woman, Elizabeth May.

All were in favour of such things as pay equity and more daycare spaces.

Each candidate felt the government’s Bill C-51 for the regulation of natural health care products had gone too far its regulatory framework and had the potential to interfere too greatly in people’s choices.

While products should be safe, Bolton said, this bill went too far.

Streicker felt it gave too much power to the regulators. Bagnell believed it didn’t deal properly with the traditional medical knowledge of first nations or other cultures.

In the matter of the Yukon Queen II’s continued activity on the Yukon River in the Dawson area, all candidates said they need to avoid specific comment before a quasi-legal review panel looks at the complaints about the vessel’s effects on the Yukon River.

Generally, all hoped a compromise solution can be reached, enabling the tourism industry and the fishery to co-exist. All felt it was probably Holland America, the vessel’s owner, which might have to compromise the most.

Dawson needs to find secondary sewage treatment solutions, said Bolton, but he felt it unfair that Dawson should be held to a higher standard of compliance than larger centres that were doing the same thing.

Streicker said the Green Party would boost the GST from the current five per cent to six per cent, and use that extra percentage point to find solutions to problems for places like Dawson.

To an abstract question about how to move from an industrial economic model to one driven by ideas, candidates were a bit more vague.

Bolton spoke of the need to be sure that Canadian jobs stayed in Canada and that federal support dollars went to industries that would ensure that.

Bagnell said research needs support, and that much of this should go to green and innovative ideas that would stay in the country.

Streicker said he didn’t know just what was going to be done about this, but it did need to happen. He added he was sure the direction would come from people rather than from government.

“I’m just not sure the political will is there,” he said. “There’s a lot of talk and not a lot of reality.”

As for transportation access to the Yukon and Dawson, Bagnell reminded the audience of the Liberal promise that all federal surpluses over $3 billion would be shunted to infrastructure projects such as roads and airports.

Bolton agreed with the need to maintain roads and improve the airport but felt any talk of a bridge connecting Dawson to the Top of the World Highway is a territorial issue.

Streicker spoke about railways as a more efficient means of transporting both people and goods.

The current crisis of poor runs in the salmon fishery needs more solid science to be resolved, Bolton said.

Bagnell said he had been fighting this issue for some time and had made a little progress, but that there is more to be done. Streicker felt the Americans simply don’t understand the problem of the lack of salmon and need our help in figuring it out.

All candidates endorsed the government raising Parks Canada’s funding in general so it could do a better job interpreting both historic sites and park sites. In addition, all were in favour of a proposal to have the Klondike become part of a World Heritage Site.

Summarizing, Bagnell reminded the crowd of the issues he has already fought for them on, such as placer mining regulations and last winter’s Post Office identification controversy in Dawson.

Streicker said climate change will thrust the North into the spotlight as new kind of rush.

Comparing Canada’s handling of the Klondike Gold Rush to the lawlessness and confusion of gold rushes in other countries, he said a solid Canadian vision could be an important guide for future developments.

Bolton addressed the role of the Member of Parliament and pledged to “go to the wall” for his constituents if elected.

This was the very first time a federal all-candidates’ forum has been held in Dawson City.

The event was put together on very short notice, but 30-plus people turned out to hear the well mannered discussion.