Ahead of the April 28 federal election, Black Press conducted phone interviews with candidates running in the Columbia-Kootenay-Southern Rockies riding. Each interview included questions about two general topics and one about their party. These questions were not disclosed in advance. The candidates were also given the opportunity to speak on a bonus topic of their choice.
This interview is with Green Party of Canada candidate Steven Maffioli.
Canada-U.S relations
The trade war with the United States remains top-of-mind for Maffioli, who is focused on strengthening reliance on domestic resources while expanding diplomatic ties to other countries.
"I think we can all agree that it's completely nonsensical and just irrational. It's only hurting Americans and Canadians and economists can't seem to figure out why we're doing this," he said.
The Greens want to see the government build up its reserves of Canadian resources through Crown corporations and have more resources processed in Canada rather than overseas, putting an end to the 'rip and ship' of natural resources to other countries. The party plans to issue Saving Canada Bonds to allow citizens to invest in Canadian products.
Internationally, Maffioli said Canada should be looking at trading more with countries other than the U.S., and expanding to countries like Australia, New Zealand and Germany, who have also expressed interest in trade.
Cost of living
Maffioli wants to make it easier for Canadians to find affordable housing.
The Green Party is advocating for scrapping federal income tax for Canadians who earn less than $40,000 per year and the elimination of tax advantages for Real Estate Investment Trusts.
The party would put policies in place to prevent corporations from buying single family homes, using covenants to ensure that housing is built using public money.
"As someone who spent most of my 20s working multiple minimum wage jobs to try to get by, I know first-hand how much this would benefit people like myself."
Maffioli said many young individuals are being priced out of the housing market in Eastern B.C, and what is available often prioritizes tourism and seasonal work over local residents and families.
"We aren't building any affordable housing and the housing that we do have is often taken by people who are here seasonally for work or tourism, so it kind of creates this position where young people who were born and raised here don't have a lot of opportunity to stay here."
The Green Party
The Green Party is in favour of the carbon tax and Maffioli thinks the other parties have not taken a strong enough stance in supporting it.
"The Liberals seem to flip-flop on their position on the carbon tax. They were for it and then they were against it. The Conservatives under Erin O'Toole came up with their own carbon pricing scheme and then switched their position on that too when it seemed to be not favourable," he explained.
"It gets hard to trust the status quo on key issues when they can't seem to stay on a unanimous decision."
Bonus topic: Protection from natural disasters
Maffioli said he thinks the Greens' national plan to address climate emergency is the best platform it has ever unveiled.
The party will take a community-based, bottom-up approach to dealing with wildfires and floods, creating an National Emergency Response agency and a National Civil Defence Corps that will help communities across Canada navigate challenging environmental crises. Members of the Corps will be stationed across the country, and Indigenous-led units will help guide and inform emergency response.
Part of the platform is focused on strengthening forest management, and training Canadians to respond to emergencies, protect infrastructure and help with disaster management.
The Greens will also prioritize production of emergency supplies like safety equipment that is made in Canada.
