Lack of respect for Manitoulin illustrated by no-show at Wikwemikong, MSS debate events
To the Expositor:
This letter is in response to a letter to the editor, ‘An endorsement of the Conservative option this election,’ from Mr. Allen McQuarrie in the October 7 edition of The Expositor.
In regards to the Conservative option and their candidate for Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing here are some facts:
The Conservative candidate, Mr. Robichaud, has been almost invisible on Manitoulin’s First Nation’s territories during the campaign. Wonder why?
At Ignite the Vote in Wikwemikong he didn’t only not show up, he didn’t even call! He supports a federal government who refuses to call for a national inquiry on 1,181 missing and murdered indigenous women in this country.
Mr. McQuarrie states in his letter that he and his party will work alongside First Nations—I see absolutely no evidence of that!
Mr. Robichaud’s Conservatives openly state that they will continue to give huge corporations big tax breaks, while, in the same breath, slashing social programs and public sector worker wages and benefits. Tell me, who here on Manitoulin will this adversely affect? Simply said, the largest percentage of Manitoulin’s population, since I don’t see too many “huge” corporations here on Manitoulin employing the locals.
At the recent “All Candidates’ Night” debate at MSS, Mr. Robichaud didn’t even have enough respect for the people of Manitoulin to even show up to address their questions and concerns!
At the debate I personally addressed the question of the gun registry to the other three candidates. All of them returned a resounding “no” to their parties ever returning that wasteful misuse of taxpayers’ dollars and harassment of hunters, trappers and farmers who require firearms as a “tool of their trade.”
A strong clear “no” from Carol Hughes—that was good enough for me. Carol has, many times over the years, proven her loyalty and dedication to the peoples of Manitoulin Island and I am confident that will continue in the upcoming years.
I believe the people of Manitoulin want a hard-working, visible, dedicated and strong-willed MP to push forward our concerns in Ottawa and I really believe most Islanders know exactly who that is.
Thank you,
Greg Young
Wikwemikong
