CanadaVOTES: Liberal incumbent Susan Kadis running in Thornhill
Saturday, September 27, 2008
On October 14, 2008, Canadians will be heading to the polls for the federal election. Liberal candidate Susan Kadis is standing for re-election in the riding of Thornhill.
During the recently disbanded session of Parliament, Mrs. Kadis was the Official Opposition Critic for National Revenue. She served as a member of the Caucus Committee on Economic Prosperity and a member of the Standing Committee on Health. She was elected as Chair of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) Liberal Caucus. The former publisher of The Thornhill Times community newspaper, she has served as a school trustee and City Councillor. She has served on the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation's Board of Directors, being a survivor herself.
Wikinews contacted Susan, to talk about the issues facing Canadians, and what they and their party would do to address them. Wikinews is in the process of contacting every candidate, in every riding across the country, no matter their political stripe. All interviews are conducted over e-mail, and interviews are published unedited, allowing candidates to impart their full message to our readers, uninterrupted.
The incumbent in the riding, Kadis faces three challengers: former broadcaster Peter Kent (Conservative), Norbert Koehl (Green), and Simon Strelchik (NDP). The riding of Thornhill includes the part of the City of Vaughan that is east of Highway 400 and south of Rutherford Road, and the part of the Town of Markham west of Highway 404. The previous MP in the riding was also Liberal, Elinor Caplan, who was the Canadian Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and later Minister of National Revenue.
For more information, visit the campaign's official website, listed below.
Interview
Why did you choose to run for office?
- As a life-long grassroots community leader, I entered politics to make a difference and improve the lives of others. I am a person of integrity and accountability, and I stand for giving a voice to the issues our community cares deeply about. Thornhill residents know they can rely on me to stand up, speak out, not sit idly by, and get results as proven by my record of service.
- I continue to be very dedicated to the ensure that Thornhill residents continue to thrive and prosper. Theres a lot at stake in this election. We have a great action plan that will secure our future.
- I will fight to ensure that we have a strong economy, cleaner environment, which will result in a prosperous and sustainable Thornhill and Canada.
Are you satisfied with your time as MP?
- Over the last four years Ive and had the privilege to help thousands of residents in Thornhill. Knowing the positive impact I have
made, I am eager to continue to do more. Our community continues to inspire me to improve the lives of Thornhill residents and all Canadians.
What would be the biggest highlights of the roughly two years since the last election?
- I had the opportunity to travel across the country to consult Canadians about security needs for at-risk communities, and to develop a policy to strengthen the safety of Canadians. This inclusive and comprehensive Liberal plan, which is part of our commitment in our platform, would not only benefit residents of Thornhill but all Canadians. I introduced a private members bill to establish a national holocaust monument in the nations capital to honour the victims and survivors, and to teach next generations about the consequences of state sanctioned genocide.
The biggest disappointment?
- As someone who has served on the Industry Committee and an Ontario MP, I was very disappointed to see Minister Harper and Flaherty attack Ontario and suggest that Ontario is the last place to invest. Thornhill residents who are worried about losing their jobs need a new Liberal government that is prepared to be a real partner especially in these challenging times. I will always stand up for Thornhill and Ontario.
As you campaign around your riding, it's likely that some issues are mentioned more often by voters, than other issues. What would you say are the three hottest topics this election, in your riding?
- Economy
- Environment
- Health care
What would you and your party do to address these issues?
- "Richer, Fairer, Greener," the Liberal Party of Canada's fully-costed, fiscally-responsible platform, lays out a progressive, inclusive vision to make Canada a stronger country for the next generation. Fiscal discipline is part of the Liberal DNA. We were the party that turned a huge deficit into eight years of surpluses, and we will continue to put fiscal responsibility first. A Liberal government will never put Canada into deficit.
We are committed to balanced budgets, which is why all the commitments in this platform are set within a prudent fiscal framework that includes a contingency reserve of $3 billion a year to be applied to the debt if it's not used a prudent measure irresponsibly abandoned by the Conservative government.
- The cornerstone of the Liberal platform is the Green Shift plan. This innovative and forward-thinking plan will cut income taxes, put a price on pollution, fight poverty and position Canada to be a leader in the 21st-century global economy.
- Richer, Fairer, Greener Includes: An Action Plan for the 21st Century A Greener Canada to fight the Climate Change Crisis, Clean Air, Safeguarding our Water, Protecting our Health from Toxic Substances, Protecting Our Natural Heritage, Empowering Canadians
- A Fairer Canada Includes: The 30-50 Plan, Investing in Our Children, Health Care, Womens Equality, Immigration: Welcoming New Canadians, EI Changes, A New Relationship with Canada's First Nations, Inuit and Metis, Minority Language Rights, A Safer Canada, Respectful Federalism
- Canada and the World Includes: Climate Change and Global Security, Diplomacy: Projecting Canadian Values Abroad, Development: Sharing Canadian Hope and Vision with the World, Stronger Relationships, Trade, Defence, Arctic Sovereignty.
Are there any misconceptions about you, your leader, or your party and platform?
- Stéphane Dion is a man of personal conviction, who has a bold and visionary action plan for Canadas future. This is evident by the comprehensive Liberal platform that will address a struggling economy, job creation, improve our environment and the health of Thorhhill residents and all Canadians.
There are more ways than ever to get your message out, from the traditional campaign fliers and lawn signs, to new media like websites, Facebook, and YouTube. The tried-and-true routes get the message out to the masses much easier, but digital alternatives are much more measurable in how many are seeing or interacting with your campaign. What seems to be the most effective, from your experience?
- The most effective way to get our message out is to speak directly with Thornhill residents to understand the issues they are facing. Over the last several weeks I have had the privilege of speaking with thousands of individuals about how a Liberal government will improve their lives.
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