Debate about the economy dominated an early morning breakfast forum between federal candidates on Wednesday (Oct. 16).

Eleven of the 13 local candidates from Kelowna-Lake Country and Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola were present at the event.

READ MORE: Meet your Kelowna-Lake Country candidates

READ MORE: Meet your Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola candidates

A question regarding the mortgage stress test, a financial bar home buyers must pass to be approved for a mortgage, had two candidates in a back-and-forth argument.

Liberal candidate for Kelowna-Lake Country Stephen Fuhr said his party has no plans to eliminate the test.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e trying to help people get into homes; we香蕉视频直播檙e not trying to get Canadians access to homes they can香蕉视频直播檛 afford,香蕉视频直播� he said.

香蕉视频直播淲e have done a number of things to help Canadians get into houses 香蕉视频直播� more than I have time to explain. The bottom line is: these policies are to help people keep more of their own money.香蕉视频直播�

Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola香蕉视频直播檚 Conservative candidate Dan Albas countered, saying the stress test is causing snags in the system that hinder the real estate market as a whole.

香蕉视频直播淲hen you have a family that香蕉视频直播檚 stuck in a rental in an apartment, where they香蕉视频直播檙e paying more in rent than they would in a starter home, there香蕉视频直播檚 a problem,香蕉视频直播� said Albas.

Albas continued, saying this results in an issue that causes the 香蕉视频直播渨hole market to freeze,香蕉视频直播� where families that should be in starter homes can香蕉视频直播檛 afford to move up due to the stress test and those homes remain unsold.

Fuhr retorted, calling the economy the most significant component affecting the real estate market in the Okanagan. He said under Conservative governments, the economy was 香蕉视频直播渇latter than a pancake香蕉视频直播� from 2008 through 2015 香蕉视频直播� years after the recession ended.

香蕉视频直播淭hese guys couldn香蕉视频直播檛 grow the economy,香蕉视频直播� he said, motioning towards Albas.

香蕉视频直播淭hey can香蕉视频直播檛. And now, they are going to pull $53 billion out of the economy. Who can grow the economy? Who can香蕉视频直播檛? That香蕉视频直播檚 the biggest single factor that will affect this problem.香蕉视频直播�

Candidates for the two front-running parties again found themselves at odds against while discussing their respective platforms about the budget.

香蕉视频直播淲e can香蕉视频直播檛 spend more than what we have,香蕉视频直播� said Kelowna-Lake Country Conservative candidate Tracy Gray, adding that her party will get back to balanced budgets within five years.

Gray said that involves cuts, not around core services, but instead cutting frivolous spending on unnecessary projects. As an example, Gray said a Conservative government wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 send money to China to help them build roads.

Fuhr was quick to discredit the Conservative Party香蕉视频直播檚 fiscal efforts saying 16 of the last 18 Conservative budgets were deficits.

Deficit spending is required, according to Fuhr, due to the ever-progressing technologies that bring new challenges to the economy.

香蕉视频直播淒igital economy, artificial intelligence, automation 香蕉视频直播� we香蕉视频直播檝e got to make sure we香蕉视频直播檙e prepared for that. That requires investment. I would say we can香蕉视频直播檛 afford not to invest in those things,香蕉视频直播� he said.

Fuhr said to look at Ontario香蕉视频直播檚 spending cuts under its provincial Conservative government, as much of the same should be expected under the federal Conservatives.

香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 exactly what you香蕉视频直播檒l get from a Scheer government if they get hold of Canada,香蕉视频直播� Fuhr said.

Gray said Ontario香蕉视频直播檚 situation was caused by irresponsible Liberal governments, saying that Conservatives needed to 香蕉视频直播渇ix the house.香蕉视频直播�

michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
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