PROVINCIAL ELECTION: Scarborough Southwest candidates talk transit at debate

Burke, president of the East Beach Community Association, asked Liberal incumbent Lorenzo Berardinetti, Progressive Conservative Nita Kang, New Democrat Jessie Macaulay and Green David Del Grande whether politicians should have to explain the "pros and cons" of different types of transit to constituents and leave the provincial Metrolinx agency to make decisions on transit projects without political interference.

Burke argued light rail lines, unlike subways, support local stores by allowing riders to "hop on, hop off" and shop, but when he added a light-rail line from Kennedy Station would be finished 10 years before a subway extension, some in the audience - including Berardinetti’s wife Michelle, a local councillor - objected.

Berardinetti the candidate said he and his fellow Liberal MPPs from Scarborough fought hard for the subway extension.

"Scarborough deserves to have a subway. I think it’s important," he said, adding the construction of subways should continue each year as part of a long-term plan.

"We can’t just say we’re going to build subways. There has to be revenue tools attached to it," Berardinetti added later, though he didn’t say what the tools dedicated to raising billions needed for continuous subway expansion should be.

Kang said she was an advocate for the subway option before becoming a candidate, bringing a pro-Scarborough-subway petition to PC Leader Tim Hudak at Queen’s Park. The party supports building transit underground, she said, and subways would be placed at the top of its infrastructure budget.

"It’s only going to get more expensive. Let’s do it now," she added Thursday, June 5, at Birchmount Bluffs Neighbourhood Centre.

Macaulay agreed with Burke transit "is used as a political football," saying this discourages people from getting involved in politics. Transit decisions should "definitely" be taken out of the political arena, she said.

Macaulay also noted she’s 26 and there hasn’t been a subway expansion in Scarborough during her lifetime, a situation she called "ridiculous."

The only candidate to declare support for the light-rail option in Scarborough was Del Grande, who said it was "less expensive, longer, (and) connects to more destination points" than the proposed subway.

As a financial conservative, he added, "I’m quite shocked" at the other parties’ stance on the more expensive subway proposal.

"It’s just an inconsistent message to me," he said, arguing the city and province had an adequate plan in Transit City, but "political interference" affected decisions.

Del Grande also stressed the need to remove politics from transit planning, but added "people are afraid of telling you we need new revenue tools" to fund expansion of the system.

Berardinetti, the riding’s MPP since 2003 and a Scarborough and Toronto councillor before that, was the only candidate who could say he lives in the riding. He said this is important, and added he shops in Scarborough Southwest too.

Kang said she’s committed to move to the riding if elected. "I don’t know how much of an issue that is," she said, "because in the past 11 years I don’t think we’ve received the local leadership we deserve."

Macaulay also admitted she doesn’t live in Scarborough Southwest, but said, "I don’t see what an MPP who lives in the riding has got us."

Del Grande said he grew up in a different Scarborough riding, and now lives in another, but knows the area.

The Green candidate supports a shift to a proportional representation voting system, but said he would be against legislation allowing citizens to recall politicians. "It stops politicians from making the tough decisions," he said.

Kang said she supports a recall law in Ontario, but added after such a scandal as the recent one involving gas plants in the province, the ministers responsible in a PC government would lose their jobs.

Macaulay agreed with proportional representation, but suggested elections are adequate way for voters to express disgust for a government.

Berardinetti noted Ontario held a referendum on a proportional system which did not pass, but said he sees "some merit" in the idea. He remarked on the rise of voter apathy in his riding, stating, "Knocking on doors, almost half of (residents) say, ‘I’m not going to vote.’ It’s a real shame when that happens."

Berardinetti also addressed the gas plant scandal: "Horrible mistakes were done. It happens under every government," he said, but argued Liberal Leader Kathleen Wynne has apologized, and "we have to move on."

He said he’s running again to keep Ontario moving forward rather than "put the brakes on, or even put in reverse, the progress made since 2003."

Kang said some areas of government are "providing little value" to Ontarians, but a PC would find efficiencies. "We will make Ontario the economic engine of Canada once again," she promised.

Macaulay said the riding needs "somebody who is accessible and engaged," and "a true champion" of local issues. The NDP finished second in the last provincial election, as well as first federally, "and we are ready to win now," she said.

Though he encouraged all citizens to vote, Del Grande said he’s frustrated by the platforms of Ontario’s three largest parties. "I have yet to hear from a single person excited by this, an election no one wants."

Libertarian candidate Tyler Rose and Jean-Baptiste Foaleng, an independent, are also running in the riding but didn’t attend the debate.