K.C. Jordan, LJI Journalist

One week out from THE EQUITY’s Conversation with the Candidates federal election event, and less than three weeks out from the election, we are sharing in-depth interviews with the five people vying for the Pontiac-Kitigan Zibi seat.

Each candidate was given the same word limit to answer our questions. The first three questions as well as the last question were put to every candidate, while the fourth, fifth and sixth questions were tailored to each candidate. Answers have been edited for clarity and length.

Q1: Why do you think you’re the best candidate to represent this specific corner of the riding, between Luskville and Rapides des Joachims, at the federal level?

It’s not an issue of being the best or worst candidate. I’m a candidate. I’m bringing my experience, my understanding, hopefully my openness to listening to people. I’m not coming with any preconceived answers other than listening to people, being able to bring concerns to Parliament, making sure that the Pontiac riding is well represented. I bring my years of being in this riding, having always lived in this riding, as an Algonquin man. I had the opportunity to leave the riding employment-wise, but I decided to stay. I want to give back, and now I have this opportunity to be on the ground with people.

I don’t have the answers. I have reflections, I have concerns, and that’s what makes me who I am. As an Indigenous person, we often hear about reconciliation, which means that Indigenous people need to be able to get at some important places, what I call the adult table, and not have to sit at the children’s table. If we’re talking about reconciliation, here’s an opportunity as an Algonquin Anishinaabe person for the citizens of the Pontiac to consider someone who has that voice and who has had to struggle very hard from when I was young to make it where I am.

Q2: Workers in the MRC Pontiac earn on average $36,300 a year (according 2022 data from the Government of Quebec). What do you believe is the best strategy to promote economic development and bring more jobs to this region?

A lot of that is going to depend on the kind of programming the federal government can put into place to support small and large businesses. I believe tourism has tremendous opportunities. It’s a beautiful area for tourism. I know that people don’t want to be on unemployment insurance, but a lot of the work often is seasonal work. The unemployment insurance program needs to be looked at to make it more affordable for people in the amount of money they’re getting so that during their period of layoff they can pay their rent and groceries.

It all depends on what’s going to happen also with the fiscal reality of Canada. One can promise so many things, but what will be the fiscal situation? I know there’s discussion about pulling down the barriers between the provinces so there can be sale of products and exchange. There’s still a lot of work to be done, but it’s about having programs that are not overly complicated. So much bureaucracy makes it difficult for small businesses, for farmers, for individuals to have access to it.

Q3: Aside from economic development, what would be one concrete change you’d like to make for the Pontiac region of the riding that would significantly improve life here?

It would be two things. Everyone would have access to what is possible through housing and affordability. Being able to pay for your groceries, your hydro bills, would be possible. There would be less worry for families in the MRC Pontiac and to feel good about continuing to live there and not have to move to urban centres to seek employment. That could be done in a number of ways, because the federal government has to be more flexible in regards to allowing its workers to work from home. Now, with the technologies we have, those good paying jobs, people can still remain in the MRC Pontiac and work for the federal government. And that kind of flexibility, that new approach, needs to be there.

How would you make sure that people had those basic necessities? One of those things is to make sure that there’s a cap on the number of food products. We know that the large multinational grocery store operations are making millions and millions of profits, and they need to contribute quite a bit more back into Canadian society to support families, but that there’ll be a cap on certain products. I believe that GST should be removed, especially as it relates to products for young children, whether it be diapers, clothing, a number of things.

That’s one way, is lowering taxes. And then there’s getting the multinationals to pay a bit more. Even as we went through covid, they were making millions and millions and claiming that it was costing them more, and ‘oh, poor us, we’re working hard.’ Well, that doesn’t cut it anymore. They have a responsibility to contribute back to Canada, because it’s Canada that’s keeping them afloat.

Q4: What have you learned about those needs since we last spoke, and what supports federally do you think are most needed for our farmers?

The first step was to meet with the mayors [at the MRC council of mayors], and to make myself available to them, but there’s been no questions asked, no invitation by anyone or calls reached out to me to invite me. I did speak to a few of the farmers, names that I had been given, who were telling me the challenges of the dairy farmers and the beef farmers, and the importance of tearing down the economic barriers between the provinces. But the most important thing that I’ve been hearing, whether it be from farmers or other people, is that you need to be present for people. Don’t just be there with the elite. Be there with people. Go visit those farmers, give them the opportunity, and then bring it back [to Parliament Hill].

I’m not going to come up with a whole bunch of promises. I know leaders are doing that every day. That’s just not who I am. That’s never been my approach as a local politician, as chief, and as councillor. It was always trying to hear from the people, understanding more, pushing it forward, coming back. It’s a back-and-forth thing, an ongoing thing, it’s not a one-time discussion that you have to figure out everything.

Q5: In December, Abacus Data polls were showing that 20 per cent of Canadians would vote NDP. By mid-March, that was down to 13 per cent. There’s a downward trend here. Why do you believe Canadians are leaving the NDP or expressing interest in other parties?

Right now there’s a fear of the tariffs and how that can look in the short- or the long-term, and Canada needs to not only pivot but bring about substantial things. When people are fearful and there’s a belief that one person is going to be able to change that all around, they can quickly drop secondary or tertiary parties that already didn’t have any seats. I think there were concerns with the NDP that maybe the alliance with the Liberals was too close. What can the party do to turn that around? It’s going to be about the individual [MP]. Yes, we’re under the banner of a party, but what can we bring that’s going to be substantial?

I believe it’s going to be important to have strong opposition to ensure that no party pleases a foreign government, and to ensure that the rich are not getting richer. We need to re-establish balance in this country. The party has to push forward its platform, and each person running under the banner of the party has to speak the truth. I will not be muzzled about the issues that are important just because I’m part of the party.

Q6: When we spoke in November, you said part of your motivation for running for this seat was your belief that you could be a different kind of voice for this riding. What difference in leadership do you provide?

The approach I wanted to take is one with greater humility, being affirmative, and being connected to people. I’m not part of any elite. I’ll bring the honesty that I have as an Algonquin/Anishinaabe. I have learned a way of doing things, which is what I want to bring. I don’t know everything. Who knows? It’s the people in the riding. They know. Having heard different points of view I’ve learned a lot, talking to farmers, retired people, hearing all of that and then bringing it in a civil way but an affirmative way, and never being fearful in Parliament that the party is going to say, ‘no, you can’t be so affirmative.’ No, you’ve got to be affirmative because you’re speaking the truth, and the truth shall always be spoken.

Q7: What’s one of the most important things you were taught by your parents, or somebody else who had a big influence in your life, that you would bring to the job of MP?

That’s very simple for me. There’s two things: hard work and never backing down. I will never back down. As I watch how the election is going in the riding, I know that I’m an underdog, but I’m not backing down. My parents worked very hard, my father in the bush and was also a firefighter, demonstrated hard work. Getting up early in the morning, even though we didn’t have a lot of money. And the same thing with my mother, showing that you don’t back down, you respect people, and you never show when you’re afraid. It’s the same thing with the American tariffs, we can’t be afraid, we just have to be mindful about what we’re doing and stand up wherever we can.