Ottawa West-Nepean candidates debate riding issues ahead of federal election

Federal election candidates in Ottawa West-Nepean gathered at Ben Franklin Place on April 8 for a lively debate, discussing everything from aging infrastructure to rising crime and disinformation within the riding.

Four candidates — Anita Vandenbeld (Liberal), Glen Armstrong (People’s Party), Josh Bizjak (NDP) and Prashanta Dhakal (Green Party) — shared their views on key issues affecting the local community ahead of the April 28 federal election.

The Conservative Party candidate for Ottawa West-Nepean, Ryan Telford, was not present for the debate.

Municipal Funding

One of the key discussions of the night focused on the cities aging infrastructure and whether more federal funding should go to cities to help them modernize.

Bizjak was quick to agree.

“Our cities are overburdened, and there’s an opportunity for the federal government to upload some of those costs,” he said.

Bizjak emphasized that improving Ottawa’s transit system and expanding housing options should be at the top of the list.

Vandenbeld also supported more funding and emphasized her party’s successes in Ottawa West-Nepean.

“Since 2019, we’ve invested over a billion dollars on infrastructure in Ottawa,” she said.

She specifically referenced the Housing Accelerator Fund, which granted $176 million to help build 3,200 new units in the city, a program she said the Conservatives would cut.

Dhakal agreed on the need for federal support but urged a more strategic approach.

“We need conditions attached to that funding,” Dhakal said. “We shouldn’t encourage urban sprawl. We should focus on cities that prioritize public transit.”

Armstrong also voiced support for more funding, particularly for transportation, but quickly pivoted to criticize the housing policies of other parties.

“Carney wants prefabricated homes… Poilievre wants Hong Kong-style high rises,” Armstrong said, questioning whether either of these options would be affordable or built with rental units in mind.

Improving Access to Services

When asked about improving access to federal services, the candidates offered a mix of solutions, pointing out the current challenges constituents face when asking help from government offices.

Vandenbeld embraced the Liberal government’s creation of a minister dedicated to addressing casework, highlighting her office’s efforts in solving over 4,000 issues since the last election.

“Three hard-working staff should not have to solve all these problems,” she said.

Dhakal proposed hiring more staff to improve efficiency.

“We need more resources,” he said.

Bizjak suggested MPs’ offices should be open and accessible to everyone.

“It would be wonderful if, when you called, a real person picked up the phone,” he said.

Armstrong used the question to criticize the exclusion of PPC leader Maxime Bernier from national debates, wondering how a government that limits participation could effectively serve its constituents.

Combatting Fraud and Coercion

The issue of fraud, especially targeting seniors, was another topic that brought strong reactions from the candidates.

Dhakal shared a personal story about a foreign student who was scammed out of $12,000.

“Unfortunately, it happens to the most vulnerable,” he said. “This should be a solvable problem, and we should solve it.”

Armstrong called for stronger legislation against robocalls and online scams, recounting how his own mother had to change her phone number after being targeted.

“She had to just recently change her phone number after 25 years because of this,” he said.

Bizjak emphasized the need for accountability from financial institutions.

“The government has a responsibility to step in and work with banks… People who have been scammed should get their money back,” Bizjak said.

Vandenbeld pointed to the Liberal government’s mandatory regulations in the banking sector, saying, “Banks should be held accountable,” and she highlighted the importance of establishing public awareness campaigns, especially marketed in stores like Shoppers Drug Mart, to help seniors recognize fraud.

Crime and Community Safety

The candidates also addressed concerns about rising crime, particularly theft and violence, in Ottawa West-Nepean.

Armstrong focused on car theft, calling for increased border enforcement.

“People are getting their cars stolen, and they know about it at the port, but they don’t even tell the victim,” he said.

Bizjak took a more social approach, saying addressing the root causes of crime, like poverty and inequality, is key.

“I believe every person has good intentions,” he said. “We need to look at why these crimes are happening.”

Vandenbeld pointed to the government’s firearms legislation, including the ongoing freeze on handguns.

“I don’t ever want to sit in a living room in our riding talking to a mother whose child was shot,” she said, stressing the importance of stricter gun control.

Dhakal suggested reducing jurisdictional overlap in policing and improving rehabilitation programs.

“There have been several reports of a jurisdictional problem,” he said. “We could be doing more.”

Disinformation and Democracy

With the rise of disinformation and foreign interference, the candidates were asked how they would protect Canadian democracy.

Bizjak called for stricter regulations on digital platforms to curb disinformation.

“These digital companies are given free range far too often,” he said. “We need to regulate them more strictly.”

Vandenbeld defended the Liberal government’s efforts to combat election interference, pointing to the work of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and the Privy Council.

“Transparency is the best defence,” she said, noting that any interference should be made public.

Dhakal also emphasized the importance of public broadcasting in fighting misinformation. “This is why we need CBC,” he said. “We need diverse sources of news to combat the lies.”

Armstrong, on the other hand, raised concerns about the role of CBC, questioning its objectivity.

“We have to question whether CBC is a truly independent and unbiased news source,” he said.

“There’s been a lot of talk about its reliability, and we need to ensure that we’re not just relying on one source of information.”

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