By Sage Roeder
As the election begins, it is time to familiarize ourselves with the people that will be popping up on the news for the weeks leading up to October 21st. Of all the influential candidates, there are two faces that I frankly knew nothing about. One of such faces, was that of Andrew Scheer, the leader of the Conservative Party.
So who is Andrew Scheer?
Andrew Scheer was raised in Ontario but represents an area of Regina, Saskatchewan. There he was elected to the district of Qu’Appelle at the age of 25. Politically he has been very successful, he was the youngest Speaker of the House of Commons at the age of 32 and the first to represent his riding in such a role. He has been a member of the Conservative Party since 2003. Among the issues he stands for, most are pretty usual for a Conservative Leader, like his plans for taxes, education, and healthcare. His party is resistant to universal pharmacare, wants to cut down taxes, and has other options brewing for education besides free tuition.
Andrew Scheer has a long history in the Canadian political sphere. His most notable and controversial views pertaining to women and LGBT rights. In 2005 he openly denounced and voted against the bill that would allow gay marriage across the country. When asked recently about his almost 15 year old remarks, he refuses to comment on whether they have evolved. He recently voted against Bill C-16 which would add gender identity and expression as protected under the Human Rights Act. On the reproductive rights of women, his views are defined by his Catholic faith and are pro-life. Although he promises to not reopen the debate about either issue, can we take his word for it?
One issue that is on every Canadian’s mind is climate change. While the Trudeau government opted for a carbon tax to try and meet the Paris treaty requirements, Scheer is promising something much different. He wants to remove the carbon tax, calling it “proven to fail” and instead replace it by investing in “green tech”: eco-friendly technology that would create more jobs and reduce our carbon emissions by a claimed 101 kilotonnes by 2030. Experts at UBC however, call into question a few of his ideas. The 60-page “description” of the plan offers no numbers or hard details of his greener tech initiative. As for the carbon tax, at least here in B.C., has cut down our emissions significantly. Not to mention there is no mention of single use plastic or the possible harm of LNG in his climate change plans.
The Alberta pipeline is an issue of tension. Bill C-69 (nice) was introduced to make changes to the way the federal government evaluates big infrastructure projects like the Trans Mountain pipeline here in BC, specifically taking a look at the impacts said projects would have on human health and the environment. Scheer plans to kill the bill and proceed forward with the pipeline, even after continuous First Nation and community protest. NDP leader Jagmeet Singh and Elizabeth May of the Green Party plan to kill the pipeline altogether.
Andrew claims to be pro-immigration and religious freedoms. He provides evidence in his protest of the Quebec Bill C-21, which would prohibit religious symbols to be worn by teachers, police officers, and others in the public sector. Although Scheer’s government will not intervene, however, they say that they will pay close attention to the advancement of the bill and fight for each person’s religious freedoms. According to their own website, the Conservative Party is very dedicated to helping future and present immigrants and aiding the immigration process. There are no recent or notable actions to prove or deny these claims.
We’re still somewhat early into the election. Still awaiting the October 3rd debates to see how his policies can hold up against the other candidates and the public. It’s now to us Canadians to form our opinions and decide what is right for our country. Being younger than the voting age doesn’t stop you from creating change in your local community and country.
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