(Left to right) Candidates Andy Bruziewicz, Fanina Kodre, Kevin Shaw, Bob Bailey, Kathy Alexander and speaker Brian White during the all candidates debate focusing on health care at the Sarnia Library Theatre. May 16, 2018. (Photo by Colin Gowdy, BlackburnNews)(Left to right) Candidates Andy Bruziewicz, Fanina Kodre, Kevin Shaw, Bob Bailey, Kathy Alexander and speaker Brian White during the all candidates debate focusing on health care at the Sarnia Library Theatre. May 16, 2018. (Photo by Colin Gowdy, BlackburnNews)
Sarnia

All Candidates Debate Focuses On Health Care

Health care was front and center during an all candidates debate at the Sarnia Library on Wednesday afternoon.

Around 50 people in attendance listened and asked questions related to home care, increasing revenue, safe-injection sites and many other matters.

Incumbent Progressive Conservative MPP Bob Bailey contradicted party leader Doug Ford's stance on being 'dead-against' safe-injection sites.

Bailey says he became even more supportive of the sites after touring the Lambton Public Health Unit earlier in the day.

"Anything we can do to help support that, I'll be as big an advocate as I can because I see the work [LPH] is doing."

NDP candidate Kathy Alexander says it's imperative to increase health care revenue, especially for an aging community like Sarnia-Lambton.

She says her party's plan to carry that out will come from the pockets of province's top earners.

"We're going to tax the wealthiest people in our community and the wealthiest corporations. And to people who drive those super-duper fancy cars, you are going to pay a luxury tax on those."

(Left to right) Candidates Andy Bruziewicz, Fanina Kodre, Kevin Shaw, Bob Bailey, Kathy Alexander and speaker Brian White listen to an audience members question during the all candidates debate at the Sarnia Library Theatre. May 16, 2018. (Photo by Colin Gowdy, BlackburnNews) All candidates debate at the Sarnia Library Theatre. May 16, 2018. (Photo by Colin Gowdy)

Green Party candidate Kevin Shaw says we need to focus on prevention as well as treatment to improve our healthcare system.

"We need to make sure that we're focusing on making sure that we're accessing healthy foods in our schools and communities, that our food is locally grown and all of this will pay dividends down the road."

In regards to home care, Trillium candidate Andy Bruziewicz says families caring for old and sick loved ones should receive benefits. He says it's not the stance of the party but it's what he believes from personal experience.

Fanina Kodre of the Century Party attended but was unable to answer questions or give a closing statement because her party has yet to be registered.

She told BlackburnNews her party would do a holistic review of medical systems of different coutries to identify the best health system for Canada and Ontario.

Nominated Liberal Party candidate Neil Wereley was not in attendance.

Three more local all candidates debates will be held on May 18, 23 and 29 before the June 7 election.

Read More Local Stories