Karen Graham
It was a slim crowd who joined Liberal Candidate David Marquis and his campaign organizers last Saturday afternoon at the Bethany Athletic Club to take advantage of the opportunity to meet the candidate in an informal setting to learn more of his plans for Parliament. It was the first organized event in this end of the federal riding for the Liberals, and allowed participants a chance for private conversations where they could pose direct questions to the candidate and receive relaxed and thoughtful responses.
Liberal supporters joined candidate David Marquis in Bethany for an informal meal and discussion of the issues in the election campaign. Pictured from left to right: Alex Marquis, Jesse Wright, Jennifer Gruer, imothy Blake with Marquis and his wife. Photo: Karen Graham.
One of the key points of difference between the Liberals and the opposing parties is their view of deficit spending. They scoff at the recently announced “surprise” surplus not only because they question how surprising it really was, but also because they believe it is irrelevant. This view was supported by Carmel Line resident Jennifer Gruer in attendance at this event, who expressed the view that deficits and surpluses had to be considered in the context of their size relative to the budget, which is approximately $____. This echoes the Liberal platform, where deficits up to $10 billion are promised for the next few years and relabelled “investments”- a tool to stimulate the economy. Marquis’ son Alex, on hand as part of the Marquis election team, elaborated on that notion, explaining the Liberal view that the government is not a business and should not operate in the same manner. The inference was that a budget surplus was like a business profit- not an appropriate objective for a government, which should instead concentrate on making “social investments” to stimulate the economy.
Also on hand on Saturday was Trent Political Science student Jesse Wright, who is a Bethany resident spending his first day on the job as a volunteer supporting the Marquis campaign. Taking politics from the classroom to the campaign trail, Wright was extending his education to the real world, and enjoying it! Formerly an NDP supporter, Wright explained that he changed camps over his disillusion with Mulcair’s stance on balanced budgets, finding it more centrist than the Liberal view of deficit spending.
Like Wright, Marquis’ interest in politics began early, when he decided to do something about issues where he disagreed with those in power. With 16 years of municipal experience under his belt, Marquis provides a good role model for young people like Wright who are becoming informed and engaged in the political process to make a difference in their communities.
