Coast of Bays-Central-Notre Dame candidates make their pitch

Voters in the newly created riding of Coast of Bays-Central-Notre Dame will have plenty of choice when they head to the polls during Monday's federal election, with veteran Liberal MP Scott Simms trying to fend off a challenge from three other candidates.

Simms has been an MP in the region since 2004, but is not the only high profile politician on the ballot.

Kevin O'Brien is carrying the Conservative banner, and comes into the race after spending nearly 12 years as a Member of the House of Assembly.

The other choices include NDP candidate Claudette Menchenton, who's making her first foray into elected politics, and Elizabeth Perry of the Green Party of Canada.

Central Morning16:08Coast of Bays-Central-Notre Dame Candidates Talk Bill C-51 & the Syrian Refugee Crisis

We sat down with the candidates running in the federal riding of Coast of Bays-Central-Notre Dame to ask them about issues you raised. Today, we hear them address Bill C-51 and the Syrian refugee crisis.

Simms, O'Brien and Menchenton were guests on CBC Radio's Central Morning show recently, to talk about where their parties stand on key issues.

Health care

 Menchenton said the NDP will increase support for healthcare if the party forms government.

"We support sharing, long-term care, stable funding for seniors, but as a whole we have to not be cutting any of our health at this point. If anything, we need to be increasing it," she said.

Simms said there needs to be more discussion with the provincial government on issues such as seniors' care and pharmacare, as well as immediate action on the availability of physicians.

"Right now on Fogo Island it's a big issue and that's got to be looked at right away," he said.

O'Brien said the health care systems needs to become more efficient as the cost of health care increases.

Central Morning13:37Coast of Bays-Central-Notre Dame Candidates Talk Employment and Healthcare.

We sat down with the candidates running in the federal riding of Coast of Bays-Central-Notre Dame to ask them about issues you raised. Today, we hear them address employment and healthcare.

"You have to utilize each and every dollar to get the best quality care and where there is no wastage of dollars within the health care system." 

Small business

Simms said a Liberal government will help small businesses employ younger people and "employ those with the right skills and trades."

Since 2008, he said, "we've lost over 170,000 (youth) positions that we have never gained back." 

Menchenton said the NDP wants to progressively raise the minimum hourly wage to $15, saying that "the cost of groceries is going up, the cost of living is going up, and the minimum wage is not moving."

All three candidates pledged that their respective parties will lower the small business tax rate from 11 to 9 per cent.

O'Brien said the Conservatives will "support (small businesses) in every way we possibly can" because "they employ Canadians, they're the biggest employer of Canadians."

Infrastructure

O'Brien pointed to the Canada Action Plan as a sign of the Conservative party's commitment to infrastructure renewal.

He added that the New Canada Building Plan has set aside $53 billion over the next nine years, and will benefit Newfoundland and Labrador.

The NDP will increase transfers to municipalities to build and repair roads and bridges, Menchenton said.

Within four years, she said, there will be 55,000 new construction and manufacturing jobs in Canada. 

As for the Liberals, Simms said his party will commit $10 billion yearly to infrastructure upgrades.

He said a "massive investment" is required to stimulate the economy, from bridges to broadband internet, which he said is "just as important as a road to your door."