The People’s Party of Canada candidate in Lethbridge says she is running because she is ‘fed up with the feds.’
Clara Piedalue says she thinks a lot of people feel the same way she does after the last 10 years and she believes Canadians are tired of being told to sit down and be quiet.
“We’ve been told that the world is going to burn down unless we pay a carbon tax and we’ve been lied to about immigration, saying that immigration is the only solution for our country,” Piedalue says. “We deserve better as Canadians, and we deserve better than having a government [that] gaslights us by telling us that mommy knows best.”
Negotiating tariffs
She says with her background in business she has learned for effective negotiations a steady and strategic approach is needed. However, she thinks recent trade tensions between Canada and the United States has not seen those tactics but rather been marked by destabilizing rhetoric, including President Donald Trump’s comments about making Canada the 51st state. She adds Canada has built strong trade networks with our neighbours over the years and that is something that needs to continue. Moving forward she says it is important to find an agreement that works for all parties involved, without putting retaliatory tariffs in place; something she and the PPC do not support.
“You know, tariffs are very, are going to have a huge impact on Canadians. They already have. I think we’re all very nervous about exactly how far-reaching the impact of tariffs is going to be.”
“One big topic was, you know, the dairy supply chain. The United States wants to be able to sell milk, eggs, and chicken to Canada. Let’s look at that and put that on the table and make that available if that’s the piece of the negotiating, of negotiations that’s needed to break down this tariff war. Why wouldn’t we go and negotiate on that instead of putting retaliatory tariffs, which really hurts the Canadian people even more deeply?”
Supporting small businesses
Piedalue says she has seen firsthand how over-taxation has impacted hardworking Canadian business owners and in some cases put these companies out of business. As a small business owner herself, if voted in she plans to support the small business community and end the double talk about small businesses being the backbone bone Canada but at the same time giving large bailouts to large corporations.
“How dare the federal government give bailouts and subsidies to large corporations and tell small business owners to suck it up?… That’s wrong and that’s not fair.”
She says one way the PPC will help businesses is by removing the carbon tax throughout the entire supply chain resulting in decreasing cost for not only consumers but businesses as well. She explains that getting rid of the carbon tax will also take a step towards the PPC’s mandate to decentralize the federal government and pull back what she says is the governments overreach into the work the provinces and provincial governments are doing.
“I think it’s time for the provinces to decide for themselves what to do and not have to answer for every little thing to the government to get their share of their share of a rebate program, for example.”
“With having Alberta’s economy [as a] resource-based economy in agriculture, oil and gas, as well as resource extraction, you know, affordable energy is key for those industries, especially being at the start of the supply chain.”
Addressing the opioid crisis
Drugs and the opioid epidemic is a major issue seen in the Lethbridge region and Piedalue says it is an issue she can speak on first hand. She states many in the community have been impacted in some way by the loss of a loved one to the opioid crisis and in her opinion not only is the crisis hurting families, but it’s hurting countless other individuals as well.
“The drug trade is dark and evil, and it needs to be stopped,” she states. “If I was voted in, I would believe in a housing first principle surrounding the drug epidemic. People who need community and housing to be able to recover.”
“The first thing to do would be to help these people who need community support to get off drugs. The second thing would be to put in harsh penalties for criminals and drug dealers and suppliers because right now, we have to make sure that the consequence fits the crime and right now, the consequence doesn’t.”
She adds the drug epidemic is not an issue that can be solved just by the federal government, but can be solved but with an all hands on deck approach including provincial and community support.
“We are under attack with the influx of fentanyl, meth, and other harsh drugs that are highly addictive.’
Working towards affordable housing
If voted in as Lethbridge’s MP she says she will work to support initiatives to expand affordable housing and apartment development in Lethbridge. However, she states zoning for these projects is on the municipalities. But, she believes Lethbridge urgently needs more affordable housing and she committed to working with local initiatives to make that happen.
“One of the biggest barriers to affordability is the rising cost of construction. Removing the carbon tax across the entire supply chain would significantly lower building costs, making housing more accessible for Canadians.”
To address homelessness in the region she says it will take a multi-faceted approach to address which will include economic opportunities and policies that reduce financial strain on families. She says it is important to her that policies the federal government puts in place, support rather than hinder affordable housing development and economic stability.
