NDP’S YOUNG SAYS ‘CLIMATE CRISIS’ NO. 1 ISSUE IN ELECTION

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

BRACEBRIDGE — Tom Young is beating the drum for the NDP — to fight climate change and “the crisis we’re facing right now.”

The Bracebridge resident and Legion Pipes and Drums snare drummer is the New Democratic Party candidate in the federal election.

He’s vying to be the next Parry Sound-Muskoka member of Parliament.

And he says he’s never seen the environment so bad across Canada — especially locally.

All the flooding and fires, he says.

“It was never like this when I was a kid,” growing up in Muskoka.

He should know.

“I am and always have been a true Muskokan.”

His parents are from Burk’s Falls. He was born in Huntsville and he grew up a teenager in Port Sydney.

He’s lived in Bracebridge the past 40 years; and is the public works superintendent for the Township of Strong around Sundridge, where his family roots are.

Young sat down for an interview Saturday with MuskokaTODAY.com, and he talked about himself, why he’s running and some of the issues.

“I’ve always liked the NDP. I believe they are the party for the average Joe person, and that’s just like me, who live paycheque-to-paycheque.

“And I wanted to make a difference in my community. That’s why I decided to run.”

MT: So, what’s the No. 1 issue facing Canadians this election?

He says the No. 1 issue for Canadians and this riding is the environment.

“It’s all comes down to the climate and the crisis we’re facing right now.

“How many times have we had fire bans? People are coming up here to camp and they can’t have a fire.”

He says Canadians and the government can’t just “pay lip service.”

“We’ve got to do something about it and we’ve got to do it now.”

MT: So, has somebody dropped the ball on that front?

“A hundred per cent,” says Young, adding governments have been “reactive, not proactive.”

He says he knows, as a water management official, that “no one was looking at” the potential for flooding this spring and in recent during when water levels caused billions of dollars in damage in Muskoka and across much of Central Ontario.

He cites a lack of updates to dams built in the 1950s.

He says the Liberals “are sitting here telling us about being big into climate change, and they’re going to do all these wonderful things out of one side of their mouth. And out of the other side of their mouth they’re buying a pipeline.

“You’re not very serious about fixing the climate if you’re buying pipelines. If you’re still giving subsidies to the big oil companies, that’s just so wrong.

“If we get a chance to make government, guess what’s going to happen immediately, the subsidies stop.”

That’s money the NDP would give to people for programs, he says.

See and hear more from Young — about his campaign and plans — in the full video interview below with MuskokaTODAY.com

The NDP’s candidate, Tom Young, says previous governments have only paid “lip service” the the environment and climate change.

 

NDP’s candidate Tom Young says previous governments have only paid “lip service” to the the environment and climate change.

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