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Familiar face leads race

Strahl projects a kinder, gentler Conservative party while NDP Malcolm James champions health care, education

There are six candidates running in the Chilliwack-Fraser Canyon riding that encompasses Pemberton. If you can only name one of the politicians running, you are not alone. Come Jan. 23, Chuck Strahl will be the only name on the ballot that most voters recognize. The Conservative incumbent has what his challengers do not: experience.

Both the Liberals and NDP are running first time federal candidates, respectively Myra Sweeney and Malcolm James.

At 32, Sweeney is the youngest candidate being offered up in the relatively new Chilliwack-Fraser Canyon riding. Sweeney is a parole officer who previously worked in corrections at Kent. On her candidate profile the political experience she lists consists of three years with the University Model Parliament of British Columbia and attending Model United Nations Conference in New York. Nominated on Dec. 29, Sweeney has all the appearance of an 11 th -hour candidate, a placeholder for the Liberal Party. It is not surprising when a request for an interview goes unanswered.

NDP candidate James is also running federally for the first time. However, the adult educator and former archeologist has the benefit of having run in the past two provincial elections. He has also been president of the Chilliwack-Kent NDP Constituency Association since 2000. He clearly knows the game, albeit from an outsider’s perspective.

The Christian Heritage Party is once again offering journalist Ron Gray, whose credits include right-wing publication BC Report . Lawyer Dorothy-Jean O’Donnell, who garnered a scant 95 votes in 2004, is once again the Marxist-Leninist choice. And the Green Party has replaced Aisha Coghlan with Ed Baye.

Eighteen months ago when Canadians went to the polls these three parties (and the Marijuana Party, which is absent this time around) combined received less than half the votes garnered by the runner up to Strahl. Strahl attracted more than 24,000 votes while the NDP’s Rollie Keith received 9,244 votes, just over a 1,000 more than Liberal Bob Besner.

Obviously, at best, this is a three-party race, but taking past history into account it appears the riding is Strahl’s to lose.

Through 12 years in Ottawa, four terms, three party leaders, three party name changes, treatment for lung cancer (he’s currently asymptomatic) and incomprehensible riding boundary changes, Strahl has continued to represent the people of Chilliwack and the Fraser Valley. Since 2004, he has also represented the people of Pemberton, a turn of events he himself finds surprising.

"When the boundary change came back I was as surprised as anyone. It had no relation to what I had suggested," says Strahl.

Indeed, the Conservative MP had suggested that his riding be expanded to include Hope, a community accessible within a 30-minute drive of his Chilliwack office. The parliamentary committee that made the change is not subject to an appeal process. So, until it’s decided otherwise, Pemberton will be part of Chilliwack-Fraser Canyon riding.

While Strahl admits that the distance and geography are challenges, he believes that many of Pemberton’s concerns mirror those of his home community. He feels that the party’s platform offers a nice package to B.C. and many of its national policies will further help to alleviate "Western alienation."

"What do they say in AA? The first step is to admit there’s a problem…

"I do believe that Western Alienation exists. I’m not in denial. I think the best way to solve this is to elect high numbers of people into government from Western Canada," says Strahl. "If Conservatives are elected, we’ll have a Prime Minister and a number of MPs from the West."

As for what’s in the package that would benefit B.C., Strahl points to direct financial help to pay legal expenses for forestry companies engaged in lawsuits in the softwood lumber dispute.

"They’ll be an emphasis on getting the dispute resolved," says Strahl.

With tradespeople in short supply, and an anticipated Olympic building boom, Strahl says that B.C. will benefit by tax incentives designed to attract people into the trades. The Conservatives would also expand the financial parameters by which a business is defined as being a small business by $100,000. Pine beetle-affected foresters could expect to see more money for retraining and the mining industry would see "super flow through" in place to accelerate the write offs for the cost of mining exploration.

As well, mining processes would be hastened by the implementation of a one-stop regulatory body. He claims that this would not compromise environmental standards, but would merely make the process quicker.

And, of course, there is the reduction in the GST from 7 per cent to 6 per cent immediately, and a further reduction to 5 per cent over five years.

Strahl firmly believes that all of this can be achieved by his party without damaging the social safety net.

"One of the reasons we’ve been so specific with policy proposals is to show we’re not dismantling the social safety net," he says. "We’re offering a good bunch of programs, especially for families. We differ from the Liberals in terms of our take on institutional daycare," says the MP. "We want to put the money directly in the hands of the parents. We want to encourage companies to build daycares. We believe we’ll see more daycare space in the long run."

But the first order of business for a Conservative government would be to introduce a "federal accountability act", a proposed piece of legislation designed to "clean up and streamline government." Another initial focus would be crime, with the institution of minimum sentencing for violent crime and new handgun laws.

Asked about whether or not he believes the gay marriage debate will be re-opened, Strahl reiterates official Conservative policy.

"Party policy is that the issue should be put to a free vote in the legislature. A motion would have to be put forward in the legislature. If the majority voted yes, the government would be obligated to table legislation as per party policy. Then the legislation would have to pass in the house. If it passed it would have to go to the Supreme Court and pass there," explains Strahl.

If the Supreme Court upheld the current legislation allowing same-sex marriage the issue would be off the table.

"We won’t use the notwithstanding clause," says Strahl.

It would seem that revisiting same-sex marriage, a right protected by law throughout Canada, is little more than populist posturing. Or perhaps it’s a throw away gesture to further demonstrate to the U.S. that a Conservative government would parallel a Republican government.

In December, the Washington Times featured a pro-Harper editorial titled "A Gift from Canada." The piece was penned by Patrick Basham, a senior fellow with the Center for Representative Government at the Cato Institute, a Washington-based, right wing think tank.

Basham opined that: "On Jan. 23, Canada may elect the most pro-American leader in the Western world. Free-market economist Stephen Harper, leader of the opposition Conservative Party, is pro-free trade, pro-Iraq war, anti-Kyoto, and socially conservative. Move over Tony Blair: If elected, Mr. Harper will quickly become Mr. Bush's new best friend internationally and the poster boy for his ideal foreign leader."

In terms of U.S. relations, Strahl believes it does no good to antagonize our neighbours to the south, something he believes has been a Liberal hallmark.

"We don’t want to pick fights with the U.S.," says Strahl, in reference to the softwood lumber dispute. "We’ll fight the good fight when we have to. But you catch more flies with honey."

Strahl is emphatic that a warmer relationship with the U.S. will not mean Canada will participate in Iraq.

"Stephen has made it clear that we’re staying out of Iraq. Our major commitment is to Afghanistan and doesn’t extend to Iraq. We have all we can handle, personnel and resource wise, in Afghanistan."

When addressing the issue of how his party is negatively perceived by many Canadians to be in bed with the U.S., Strahl is calm, courteous and candid. He comes across sincere, open and honest. In fact, the only issue that appears to raise his hackles is an inquiry as to the state of his health.

Late last summer, the 48-year-old politician was diagnosed with lung cancer. Pathologists determined that his cancers might be linked to asbestos exposure he sustained while working in logging. Strahl had been a partner in a logging and road construction company at a time when open asbestos brakes were used on swing yarders. (A swing yarder is a piece of machine equipment used for hauling logs to a roadside.)

"My exposure wasn’t that lengthy, it was intense," said Strahl at the time of the announcement. "Typically, 20-25 years later, the asbestos works its ugly magic. Unfortunately, I'm right on time."

Not quite six months after he went public with his diagnosis, Strahl treats his illness as a non-issue and clearly wishes others would.

"I’m feeling fine. I have no symptoms. My doctors tell me everything is good," he states. "Nobody loves to have cancer and I fit into that crowd."

He points out that the diagnosis and subsequent treatment for his illness did not affect his work in the legislature during the fall session. His tone indicates that he does not foresee a time when it will.

"I think the media is interested in my health because it’s a human interest story, but honestly no one, not even my opponents, have brought up my health in this campaign."

And it seems that, Strahl is a genuinely well-liked man whose political competition would rather fight a fair battle restricted to issues of policy rather than stoop to cheap shots and speculative conjecture.

”….What kid wants to come out of a school with a debt load of $170,000?” Malcolm James, NDP candidate. Photo submitted

"I think people vote for Chuck not so much because of party platform but because he’s an honest politician," suggests NDP candidate James. "He used to live down the street from me at Ryder Lake (a region of Chilliwack) and he was a nice guy."

Their similarities go beyond a once shared neighbourhood. Both men are 48 years old. They pursued public life out of belief if you "weren’t part of the solution you were part of the problem." They are both fathers of adult children. Longtime residents of the Fraser Valley, they are both committed to a rural way of life. If it was not for vastly different politics, they could probably be friends.

However, looking at the Conservative agenda, that "if" looms large.

Creating smaller government, getting tough on crime, increasing opportunities through tax breaks and defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman, makes for a Conservative agenda that worries the NDP candidate.

James champions improved education and health care as essential steps towards creating better standards of living. Whether the issue is economic growth, sustainability or cultural preservation, James brings the issue back to these cornerstones of NDP policy.

"They’re also fundamental to the Liberal and Conservative policies…" he says, wryly adding, "…at election time."

James believes that the Conservatives will dramatically weaken the social safety net by moving towards private health care; something he says has been proven not to work elsewhere.

"They’re backpedaling on it in England, where there are several different paths to different types of health care – private health care isn’t working there. It’s not working in Australia or New Zealand," he states.

Instead, James would like to see specialized mid-size clinics throughout the province.

"For example, you might have a clinic that specialized in hip replacement on the island. Because that was their specialty, they could do the procedure much faster and reduce waiting times for surgery."

James, the father of a medical student, sees another possible spin off of this specialized clinic model in use in South Africa and Sweden: training immigrant doctors.

"There are doctors who come here from other countries and are working as cab drivers. You’ve heard the stories. Well, it’s not because they can’t pass the Canadian exams; they can’t get residencies done. This mid-size clinic model would possibly provide the clinical environment to complete a residency."

James sees developing and keeping more health care practitioners in Canada as essential to maintaining our standards of care. And, of course this comes back to the state of education.

"When my daughter started medical school they said, ‘We want you to take a student loan of $170,000 so you don’t have to worry about money while you’re studying’," he says with a shake of his head. "What kid wants to come out of a school with a debt load of $170,000?"

Despite the upper Fraser Valley, the most populous portion of Chilliwack-Fraser Canyon, being a small "c" conservative stronghold for the past 34 years, James is not discouraged.

"People are asking to read the literature. They’re not sure how they’re going to vote, but they want to read more. I find that encouraging," he says.

An adult educator with the Sto:lo Nation, James is also encouraged by First Nations people wanting to get more involved in the mainstream political process.

"We knew we had to identify those people who traditionally did not vote and get that vote out," he says. "So far, I’ve gotten a lot of support in the Fraser Canyon."

One of the places he’d like to see more support for the NDP is from the small business sector.

"Businesses don’t have to be afraid of the NDP," he says. "Under the provincial NDP, small business had the lowest tax rate in Canada."

James says that while he in no way endorses a "1984" model of government, he believes that business can benefit from repayable seed money, government partnerships and in certain cases, subsidies.

"How can a potato farmer here compete with those in Washington and Idaho? Both those states offer massive subsidies and have a huge distribution."

James adheres to the belief that Canadians will once again elect a minority government. He sees the NDP forming an informal coalition, the likes of which it enjoyed with the Liberals, but that would be unlikely with the Conservatives.

Strahl agrees, but feels that vastly differing agendas will not mean a standstill to progress.

"I think what you’ll see is an issue-by-issue coalition," says the deputy speaker. "Take mandatory sentencing for violent crimes. The NDP have also brought it up, so it would be pretty hard for them to say no."

What party will be urging the NDP to play nice with them will be decided next Monday. In the meantime, James wants to get the message out that there is a viable alternative to the two leading parties.

"I watched the debate last night and I realized what the Liberals and the Conservatives were doing was to try to distinguish themselves from each other. They’re two shades of the same colour."



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