Social issues dominate talk
PEACE ARCH NEWS
By Tricia Leslie
October 4, 2008

After dominating previous debates, the economy and environment were virtually ignored at a federal all-candidates meeting in White Rock Friday morning.

Held at Peace Arch Hospital by the Community Action Network (CAN), the meeting was organized in a roundtable style, with members of the audience encouraged to ask questions or add input to the discussion.

….  “It is difficult to read that, if I had just been a little bit nicer, I might have gotten (autism) services for my child,” she said, referring to e-mails she still receives from [Conservative] party members.

…. Housing, homelessness, addiction, mental health, child care, health care (in general), the Canada Pension Plan and early learning initiatives were all discussed, but, when the two-hour time set for the meeting ran out, there was no time left for all of the candidates to discuss the economy, the environment and employment.

….When child care came up, everyone seemed to have something to say.

… outlined the universal child care benefit introduced by his government, the child tax credit, ….

…. Liberal candidate … said the issues that need to be looked at involve early learning.

“For every $1 put into early learning services, it will save $7 down the line,”...

… noted not everyone is able to have a stay-at-home parent: “I wonder what kind of world these people are living in,”….

“Almost 50 per cent of workers in this country are female. The days where one parent could stay at home are over. What we need are more child care spaces.”

Green candidate…, “Small tax breaks are not enough….