Black Press Staff:
A self-proclaimed Socialist and admirer of Tommy Douglas and the implementation of the national public health system, Tim Robson of Wetaskiwin will be representing the New Democratic Party of Canada in the federal election on Oct. 14.
“I do not think the last 30 months have been productive for Canada. First, we had the Harper government agree to the disastrous softwood lumber deal that resulted in them accepting $4 billion from the Americans when $5 billion was owed. Canada won 37 trials in international courts and this agreement has been detrimental to Canada’s forestry industry,” Robson said.
When asked if he thought the current economic crisis affecting the United States would or could have an adverse effect on the Canadian economy, Robson said deteriorating housing costs south of the border would inevitably hurt north of the border as well.
“I think the current legislation in the US has to effect many financial institutions in Canada, and soon,” he said. “While we have much stronger banks here and a different process to acquire mortgages than they do there, the deterioration of most real estate prices in the US cannot help but effect our situation here in Canada.”
Well-aware of the fact that Alberta voters have not been kind to the NDP throughout history - the one and only federal victory for the party occurred in the 1988 election when the previously-mentioned Ross Harvey won the riding of Edmonton-East, Robson knows it’ll be a tough, if not impossible feat to knock off Conservative MP Blaine Calkins.
“I am running in this election to win, although, with the Wetaskiwin incumbent having won the last election by more than 30,000 votes, the likelihood of me changing this many votes in extremely doubtful, especially when only 100 people attend the candidate forums in each community,” Robson said. “But I believe protecting this public health system to be of paramount importance.”