Reporter Delaney Smith has written a summary of the Ottawa West-Nepean All Candidates’ Debate from April 8 at Ben Franklin Place.
Dhakal agreed on the need for federal support [to municipalities[ but urged a more strategic approach.
“We need conditions attached to that funding,” Dhakal said. “We shouldn’t encourage urban sprawl. We should focus on cities that prioritize public transit.”
Please read the summary below:
Rogers Television has made their Ottawa West-Nepean debate available on YouTube.
What the tariffs will do is divert the flow of goods and services within [Canada] rather than between [Canada and the US]. And that’s ok; if that’s what Trump wants to do, that’s what Trump will do. We have to be able to build a resilient economy, we have to reduce the trade barriers, we have to centralize regulations where possible, and we have to build local supply chains so that we can stand in the face of bullies like Trump.
The Ottawa Citizen has covered our first debate for the April 28, 2025 election.
Several questions addressed climate change, to the consternation of People’s Party of Canada candidate Glen Armstrong, who claimed “uncertainty” around the science of climate change and voiced doubts on the validity of carbon-capture programs. “Carbon dioxide is a natural substance that is absorbed by plants. So why the carbon capture?,” he wondered, only to be schooled by the Green Party’s Prashanta Dhakal. “Carbon dioxide is not a pollutant in small quantities, but it’s bad in large concentrations,” Dhakal explained patiently. “We need a certain amount of carbon dioxide in order to keep the planet warm, but, if there’s too much, it’s like a blanket, it can overheat the climate … It’s absolutely known science. This is nothing new and I don’t know why we’re talking about this now.” He received a round of applause for keeping his cool on the issue.
– Lynn Saxberg, Ottawa Citizen
