About 60 showed up at the Teeswater Culross Community Centre to hear what the federal candidates in Huron Bruce had to say.
Although the questioning tended to focus on the agricultural policies of the parties represented by the candidates on Thursday night — there were other subjects that came up too.
Corruption in government; fuel costs; building more prisons and foreign ownership of Canadian land were just some of the challenges, candidates faced.
However, agriculture was certainly high on the list.
Liberal candidate Charlie Bagnato says referred to Rural Canada Matters in the party policy book.
He says it’s not just about making agri-business more attractive to young farmers, it’s about making sure rural areas have the amenities of the urban area, such as doctors.
He says the Liberals are really anxious to put their risk management program into effect that will help protect the farmer during tough times.
It all adds up to making farming a more attractive profession.
Conservative incumbent Ben Lobb says his government has already assisted farmers across Canada and in Huron Bruce.
Lobb says they’ve opened foreign countries through trade protocols that will allow Canadian exports to millions of new customers in India and China.
He says there are more millionaires in China than there are people in Canada and the rich like to have quality protein in their diets.
He says it’s an open invitation to beef and pork farmers in Huron Bruce.
Grant Robertson of the NDP says his party is committed to a viable agricultural policy that will make the agri-business sector grow and provide security to farmers now and farmers in the future.
He says they would introduce a national food policy that would allow more access to other Canadian markets of products grown in Huron Bruce.
The Green Party’s Eric Shelley says his party believes smaller is better.
Shelley says they believe in strong communities and re-localizing all phases of production back to the local level.
He says this allows you to know who you’re getting your food from and who’s processing it.
The plan would re-introduce smaller abbatoirs to communities in Huron Bruce for instance.
Independent candidate Dennis Valenta was not at the Teeswater meeting.
The all candidates debate was jointly sponsored by the Bruce County Federation of Agriculture; the Christian Farmers of Ontario and the National Farmers Union.
