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.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e trying to help people get into homes; we91裸聊视频檙e not trying to get Canadians access to homes they can91裸聊视频檛 afford,91裸聊视频� he said.

91裸聊视频淲e have done a number of things to help Canadians get into houses 91裸聊视频� more than I have time to explain. The bottom line is: these policies are to help people keep more of their own money.91裸聊视频�

Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola91裸聊视频檚 Conservative candidate Dan Albas countered, saying the stress test is causing snags in the system that hinder the real estate market as a whole.

91裸聊视频淲hen you have a family that91裸聊视频檚 stuck in a rental in an apartment, where they91裸聊视频檙e paying more in rent than they would in a starter home, there91裸聊视频檚 a problem,91裸聊视频� said Albas.

Albas continued, saying this results in an issue that causes the 91裸聊视频渨hole market to freeze,91裸聊视频� where families that should be in starter homes can91裸聊视频檛 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 91裸聊视频渇latter than a pancake91裸聊视频� from 2008 through 2015 91裸聊视频� years after the recession ended.

91裸聊视频淭hese guys couldn91裸聊视频檛 grow the economy,91裸聊视频� he said, motioning towards Albas.

91裸聊视频淭hey can91裸聊视频檛. And now, they are going to pull $53 billion out of the economy. Who can grow the economy? Who can91裸聊视频檛? That91裸聊视频檚 the biggest single factor that will affect this problem.91裸聊视频�

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

91裸聊视频淲e can91裸聊视频檛 spend more than what we have,91裸聊视频� 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 wouldn91裸聊视频檛 send money to China to help them build roads.

Fuhr was quick to discredit the Conservative Party91裸聊视频檚 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.

91裸聊视频淒igital economy, artificial intelligence, automation 91裸聊视频� we91裸聊视频檝e got to make sure we91裸聊视频檙e prepared for that. That requires investment. I would say we can91裸聊视频檛 afford not to invest in those things,91裸聊视频� he said.

Fuhr said to look at Ontario91裸聊视频檚 spending cuts under its provincial Conservative government, as much of the same should be expected under the federal Conservatives.

91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 exactly what you91裸聊视频檒l get from a Scheer government if they get hold of Canada,91裸聊视频� Fuhr said.

Gray said Ontario91裸聊视频檚 situation was caused by irresponsible Liberal governments, saying that Conservatives needed to 91裸聊视频渇ix the house.91裸聊视频�

michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
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