Thursday, October 10, 2019 ~ METCHOSIN | WEST SHORE
by Mary P Brooke ~ West Shore Voice News
For someone who has never done politics, Conservative candidate Dr Randall Pewarchuk (Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke) has been providing steady, thoughtful answers at All Candidates meetings these past few weeks. He occasionally slips into the party lines about tax cuts that would help everyone ‘get ahead’.
He is new at delivering spin but that seems to allow him to explain fiscal responsibility and sustainability and responsibility to community in fresh ways that still mesh with the Conservative overall thrust.
Pewarchuk held his own in the formal but fractured debate held at Pearson College (September 18) and had time to give some fuller thoughts during the all candidates meeting in Otter Point (September 29). He will be participating in the Brookes Westshore private school debate in Colwood (October 16) but declined participation in the environment debate in Metchosin (October 3) and has a scheduling conflict (some sign waving and door knocking) that will keep him away from the upcoming ‘general issues’ debate in Sooke (October 11).
Pewarchuk says only the Conservatives adequately pay attention to rural issues. For matters of addressing climate change, he says Conservatives believe in the use of technology, not taxation, for addressing pollution in a pragmatic, balanced, and fiscally responsible way in all areas including domestic, industrial and global.
“If we don’t do it that way we’re going to have an economic catastrophe before we have an environmental catastrophe,” he said in Otter Point September 29. He added that Canadian industries should be supported to reduce greenhouse gas GHG) emissions through technology and sell it to the world and they will be charged only a 5% tax so they can put more money into tech innovation and reduce the world carbon footprint.
It’s no-go on carbon taxes with Conservatives. Carbon taxes are just passed onto the cost of the product and nothing is done about it, says Pewarchuck. We’ll have tax credits would be provided with proof of reducing their GHG footprint.
The Pewarchuck campaign office is within Coastal Offices at 328 Wale Road, suite 162 in Colwood.
============= This article was first published on page 3 in the October 4 to 7, 2019 issue of West Shore Voice News
============= OTHER ARTICLES:
All Candidates Meeting in Otter Point addressed rural issues (September 30, 2019)
Pewarchuk says more fiscal responsibility needed (September 15, 2019)