Cardigan riding: 4 contenders try to unseat a 31-year political veteran

The riding of Cardigan comprises all of Kings County, and some of Queens.

Essentially it's P.E.I., east of the Hillsborough Bridge. The riding includes a mixture of urban and rural communities stretching from Stratford to Montague to Souris and East Point.

People work various occupations in the Cardigan riding — from manufacturing, to financial services as well as at the fish plant and the ferry service.

Five candidates are vying for the MP's job in the riding. Four of them are trying to do what no one was been able to do in decades, and that's beat Lawrence MacAulay.

However there have been some tighter races. In 2000, Progressive Conservative candidate Kevin MacAdam lost by a few hundred votes and in 1997, Progressive Conservative candidate Dan Hughes lost by 99 votes.

Doctors, public transportation, ferry

Voters in Cardigan list off a basket of concerns. Errol Flynn from Peakes said he cares about jobs, the cost of the carbon tax, and health care. "More doctors and try and keep them in the area," said Flynn.

Donna Glass from Morell said the environment is on her mind. "Prince Edward Island does not have any public transportation other than Charlottetown. Children grow up always thinking a car is their first priority rather than education and other things," she said.

Teresa MacKinnon said she is also concerned about climate change, especially since she recently became a grandmother and is thinking more about her granddaughter. 

"I'm worried about what future she's going to have," she said. "It really kind of scares me in some ways, thinking like what it's going to be like the next 100 years that she'll be living in."

Rickey Crane from Brooklyn, southwest of Montague, said the ferry service in the area is the big one for him. He said it's important for industry and tourism. 

"It does a lot for the economy," he said. "I would like to see it more on a stable foot, know that it's going to be there for a long time."

Lawrence MacAulay — Liberal

Lawrence MacAulay has been the federal representative for Cardigan since 1988 — the longtime MP holds the record for the longest serving federal politician in P.E.I. history. 

MacAulay said he has enjoyed his time representing the riding so he's running again, and is looking for his 10th straight election win. 

"I like people, time certainly goes by quickly," MacAulay said. "A number of people indicated they wanted me to run." 

He said he believes his ability to work with people is his strength. 

"Anything we could do to help anybody, that's what we're there for and to help the economy of the Cardigan riding," he said. 

MacAulay has held a number of cabinet positions including minister of veterans affairs, solicitor general, minister of labour and minister of agriculture. 

MacAulay described the economy and employment situation in the region as good, but he said a shortage of workers is an ongoing issue. He said P.E.I. needs to capitalize on the products it has, whether it's fisheries or agriculture. 

"We need the foreign workers to be able to process our product," he said. 

MacAulay said the ferry has been an issue for him during his entire time as a politician. He said money was allocated in the budget, and most recently they were working out the details in the contract. 

Wayne Phelan — Conservative 

Wayne Phelan is running for the Conservatives in Cardigan. 

He said he has always been self-employed, and believes his common sense approach is what's needed. "I like to see what potentially might be coming down the road and make an opportunity out of it," he said. 

Phelan ran a pub in Japan. When he moved back home he started up an internet company in P.E.I., and now runs a home security business.

He said the current government is not making decisions based on the needs of the people.

"They're protecting big business more than they're representing the everyday Joe out there on the street," Phelan said.

Phelan said when he first decided to run he considered internet access to be one of the biggest issues, but he said after talking to voters other issues have come forward as bigger concerns.

"Housing for our seniors, health care for our seniors, affordable cost of living just for the everyday family out there," he said.

Phelan said he would like to bring down the cost of living for people. Specifically, he said he doesn't like the carbon tax and would like to see incentives brought back to help families put their kids into sports.

Phelan is also opposed to a proposal by the Northern Pulp mill in Nova Scotia, to extend a waste water pipe into the Northumberland Strait, not far from P.E.I.

"The cheapest option is to pump it right into the strait. That shouldn't be an option," Phelan said.

"I'm not going to be anyone's yes man."

Lynne Thiele — NDP

Lynne Thiele, the NDP candidate, is a retired teacher from Saskatchewan and moved to Stratford, P.E.I., in 2005.

She spent many summers in P.E.I before she moved here and describes herself as an honest person who wants to help people.

"I'm running because there are ideas that are not being talked about. There are promises that are not being kept, and I have admired the NDP since I was a child," Thiele said. 

Thiele said she believes the NDP is gaining in popularity thanks to NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. "I think I see people starting to pay a little more attention this time," she said.

She said she would like to see the basic income guarantee offered to people. She said by guaranteeing people a certain income, they don't have to worry as much about their housing or their health.

"It would lift people out of poverty, they could make long-term plans, they could get an apartment … go to college," she said.

Thiele also wants to see a pharmacare program.

"There are so many things that can happen, we just don't try."

Glen Beaton — Green

The P.E.I. Green party saw huge gains in the recent provincial election winning eight seats. Glen Beaton said he was motivated to run federally after he went campaigning with his daughter Michele Beaton, who won her seat for Mermaid-Stratford.

"I walked the streets with my daughter, I saw so many things out there that were good, but I saw so many things that weren't good," said Beaton.

"We got a good look at what the problems were in health care, cost of medicines, the unavailability of medicines," he said.

Beaton worked for the provincial government for about 30 years and said he's been involved in many projects from highway planning to parks and various tourism developments. He said his work experience will help him deal with federal issues. 

"My background says that I get things done," Beaton said.

He said health care and pharmacare are top issues, ​​​​​​and that the other priority for the Greens is protecting the environment, and reducing emissions. "We would definitely cut back on the fossil fuel," he said. 

Beaton said the Greens want to provide funding to help people retrofit their homes and other buildings, so they're more energy efficient. Beaton said more electric cars are needed, and light railways. He would also like to see a focus on reforestation.

Christene Squires — Christian Heritage Party

Christene Squires was born in Newfoundland and now lives in Murray River. She ran in the last provincial election as well and received one per cent of the vote.

Squires said the CHP looks at issues differently than most parties. For example she said her party believes the idea of climate change is a false science.

"We don't follow the science that's behind climate change," she said.

The party is also anti-abortion.

"We want to protect both the mother and the child," Squires said. She said the party is also against medically-assisted deaths. "All stages of life are precious."

Squires said health care and the economy are priorities for the party too and she said she doesn't like the idea of government deficits. "It's basically theft, we need to balance our budgets."

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