Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Ashley Legassic

FEDERAL ELECTION 2019

Candidate profile: People’s Party candidate Ken Finlayson

Oct 2, 2019 | 4:33 AM

KAMLOOPS — Ken Finlayson is passionate man. He speaks from his heart, and agree or disagree with his principles, he wants to make a difference and make Canada the best it can be.

“We’re Canadian nationalists and we believe charity begins at home,” he said. “We don’t think we should be building roads in Africa and pipelines in China. We can’t even get a pipeline down this valley.”

It’s not Finlayson’s first venture into politics. In 2017, he ran as an independent in the Battlefords-Lloydminister after being rejected by the Conservative Party. The rancher from Lac La Hache was encouraged to run for the newly-formed People’s Party of Canada upon meeting leader Maxime Bernier.

“I think Canada is worth fighting for, and I think Maxime Bernier is probably our last hope to tie this country together,” said Finlayson.

Finlayson says one of his main priorities is helping to resurrect the fledgling B.C. forest industry that has seen numerous mills shut down and curtail production.

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“We listened to a man last night that owns a mill in Barriere. He made it clear, ‘we don’t want welfare. We just want a level playing field,'” he noted. “A number of factors have stacked against us. Our stumpage fee here is five times what it is in Alberta. That’s ridiculous.”

Finlayson is also passionate about helping First Nations communities across the country. He believes the Indian Act is holding Indigenous people back.

“The sooner we can get away from that, the sooner our Native Indian people can be fully integrated as full and equal citizens in Canadian society,” he said.

In terms of climate change, Finlayson and the People’s Party of Canada recognize our environment is changing, but it doesn’t think it is caused by people.

“We believe in pollution. We believe it needs to be addressed. We’ve got thousands of examples. We do not believe that carbon dioxide is the cause, the man-made carbon dioxide, is the principle cause of climate change.”

Finlayson says a vote for him is a vote for free speech and a united Canada.

CANDIDATE Q&A

Ahead of the 2019 federal election vote, CFJC Today reached out to each candidate in the Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo riding for their positions on local issues. Here is People’s Party candidate Ken Finlaysons responses.

In your view, what is an MP’s most important responsibility?

“To represent and advocate for one’s constituents first and foremost, as well as for one’s province and country to ensure: “Freedom, Fairness, Responsibility and Respect”.”

What are the biggest issues people in our riding have? How would you address those?

“One of the biggest issues facing our riding is the crisis and collapse of the forest industry. Our government would work towards gaining access to the US market through effective free trade negotiations.

Another major issue in Kamloops is the access to affordable housing. One of the areas that drives up cost is the major issue regarding money laundering, which has caused the prices at the coast (to) go through the roof, and this needs to be seriously investigated. This has also caused many to leave the coast and take up residence in the Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo region causing very high rent rates and, in many places, no rental vacancies.”

If you were to be elected and then appointed as a federal minister, which department do you believe you would excel in and why?

“I believe that I would be able to excel in the area of Aboriginal Affairs because of my life experience, and long history of advocacy for this long-suffering and marginalized segment of our society.”

How would your party address the family doctor shortage in our region?

“The People’s Party believes in taking care of Canadians first. Even though health care is a provincial matter under the Constitution, the PPC would develop a strategy to incentivize the Province to develop more efficient delivery systems for health care and that would include addressing the doctor shortage.”

How would your party address the opioid crisis?

“The reality is that this is a provincial issue that falls under health care which deals with both mental and physical health. As a society though, we need to find preemptive solutions.”

How would your party address climate change?

“We believe in the best science available, that climate change is a natural occurring phenomenon and that CO2 is not a pollutant. Therefore, there is no need for a carbon tax on CO2 emissions. However, we do believe in protecting the environment and cleaning up pollution in our lakes, rivers, and oceans, etc.”

How would your party address affordability for young families?

“Our Party would raise the basic income tax exemption from 12% to 15% as well as eliminating the carbon tax. We also believe in balancing the budget in two years, so they do not carry the burden in the future. We also believe in bringing the money that is spent elsewhere back home to help Canadians.”