In a forum dominated by local issues, candidates were asked to choose between community allegiances and party lines at an Ottawa Centre debate held at Saint Paul University last night.
With one week until election day, the debate featured all seven area candidates and took on a local slant, with questions about Ottawa’s light rail transit plans, local food initiatives and residential development in the community.
However, the conversation shifted to whether the views of residents would ever take a back seat to the candidates’ party policies if the two were ever at odds.
Liberal incumbent Yasir Naqvi said the needs of constituents shapes his actions at Queen’s Park.
“The promise I made to myself was that I would never stop knocking on doors . . . so I’m always talking to constituents about issues that are important to them,” Naqvi told the crowd.
“Thirty thousand doors later I’ve got a very good understanding, street by street, neighbourhood by neighbourhood, of what people are thinking. That guides me in my own caucus when issues are coming up and policies are being made to stand up and express the views of the constituents.”
Anil Naidoo, the NDP candidate and Naqvi’s main challenger in the riding, came down even more swiftly on the side of the community.
“If it’s a choice between my party and my community, I’m 100 per cent for my community, without a doubt,” said Naidoo to applause.
Progressive Conservative candidate Robert Dekker also shared the view that community should come before the party.
“I have the same concerns in Ottawa Centre that [residents] have in Ottawa Centre. I represent your concerns and your concerns trump anything the party may want to do,” said Dekker.
Making the local voice stronger at Queen’s Park is important to get residents what they need and want, said the candidates.
Naidoo said his past experience gave him perfect practice for this task.
“For the past 15 years my job has been to bring people together to work on complex issues,” said Naidoo. “So I think those skills will
serve to be a strong voice for the community at Queen’s Park.” Naidoo also questioned Naqvi’s ability to make the voices of his constituents voices heard while also being the Liberal Party president.
“It’s pretty tough to represent your community and represent the party,” said Naidoo.
Naqvi fired back, saying that by building strong relationships at all levels of government he has given Ottawa Centre a strong voice in the province.
“Issues don’t have jurisdictions, issues need to be resolved,” said Naqvi. “And by working together you have a better chance of solving them before they become problems and hard to deal with.”
Light rail transit was one local issue candidates tackled during the night, but it was the one that spurred a communal call to action.
Naqvi said starting work on the LRT line is important to decrease traffic congestion on Bronson Avenue and Bank Street and make it easier for suburban commuters to reach the downtown core, while Naidoo said getting focused and getting started on the project was critical to solving the environmental and traffic problems.
Kevin O’Donnell, the Green Party candidate, agreed that actions speak louder than words when it comes to LRT.
“I would like [LRT] to stop being a vision and become a real sight to see,” he said.
Light rail was just one of several local subjects brought up and community participation was certainly an aim of the debate. Ottawa Centre residents were given a chance to submit questions online through Twitter and OpenFile news, which sponsored the event.
Stuart Ryan from the Communist Party, independent representative Kristina Chapman and Libertarian candidate Michal Zeithammel were also present at the debate.