PentictonNow.com has reached out to the four candidates in the Penticton riding to get their personal information and thoughts on the main topics facing voters in the BC General Election, set for Saturday, Oct. 24.
Today we bring you Keith MacIntyre of the BC Libertarian Party.
Personal details
MacIntyre is a 44-year-old software engineer and business owner, He grew up in Westlock, Ab., received a BsC Engineering at the University of Alberta, lived in Calgary for 12 years and Penticton for the past 10 years. He has two teenage boys in Grades 10 and 12.
There are many issues facing voters when electing their next representative in the legislature.
MacIntyre comments on a few of those issues he believes are front and centre in this campaign.
A strategic approach to the pandemic
“We have been in reactive mode and we have not taken a detailed look at the damages we are causing economically and to mental health. I think we need to look at each individual region and decide what is best for us. Penticton has only had a handful of cases through the entire pandemic, which shows that smaller centres are much less likely to be affected. We need to look at our social care systems and ensure that those that need help are getting it and are not avoiding help out of fear. I've had dozens of conversations and I'm very worried for our seniors and our health care workers over the winter. Health care workers are overworked and don't have the support systems they used to have. Family and friends did so much in care homes and residences to help with seniors. The loss of human contact for our seniors is worse than the disease. People are better able to fight off illness when they are healthy and happy. Not being able to hug their children and grandchildren for months at a time is not healthy. There are better ways to do this. We cannot burn our society out as we have been doing and expect us to recover."
Land issues
“When I moved to Penticton in 2010, I was shocked at the Property Transfer Tax. When I was trying to attract talent here it was a real barrier for a family to lose thousands of dollars when moving to a new city ($8 thousand on a $500 thousand home). I have talked to many finance ministers as well as a former Premier about this. They agreed that this is a bad tax for families, but they don't know how to make up the revenue. Rather than find efficiencies in government or creative solutions they continue to punish families for buying homes with what was a so-called luxury tax that never adjusted as home prices went up. The ALR issues tie into this as well. Decisions are being made in Victoria that seem to make sense for Richmond that do not make sense in the Okanagan. Decisions about our land should be up to us, and not bureaucrats in Victoria."
Bureaucracy and sin taxes on liquor and cannabis
"It took a pandemic for the government to 'allow' restaurant owners to buy alcohol wholesale, and they are limited in what they can buy. No wonder a glass of wine is so expensive in BC restaurants. If you add up the total taxes on alcohol and cannabis, it's mind-blowing. Why can't an individual grow more than four plants. Why can't we have a thriving craft cannabis industry too? When the government gets involved in business, nobody wins."
MacIntyre’s pitch to voters
“Thank you to those of you that reached out to me to tell me you have voted for me, and all of the conversations in person, on social media, on the phone, and through my candidate Facebook page. We truly have amazing people in Peachland, Summerland, Penticton and Naramata and I am honored that you are considering voting for me in this election. Choosing to vote for a smaller party is difficult. The way our political system is designed it may feel like you are wasting your vote, or that you are helping a candidate you don’t like by not voting who you truly want to vote for. Nothing can be further from the truth. We have an opportunity this election to show the politicians that we are craving something different – that we are tired of political promises that only happen during an election, and tired of the divisive politics that is so prevalent in our society today. This is our opportunity to show them that we are no longer willing to be manipulated by marketing. We can stand up and say, 'We want to truly be heard’!”
"New Zealand just had its General Election last weekend. The ACT party (a very similar party to ours) went from 0.5% popular vote to 8% and now has 10 seats. Diversity in our politics is very important. If we continue to only elect people from large parties, we will never have a truly independent voice. What I like about the Libertarian Party is that we truly value free thinking. We believe every human being should be free to pursue their vision of a better life, as long as they never harm another person while doing so. Many people read this as individualistic and selfish. I read it as inspiring. I’m very selfish. I want the community, province and country I live in to be the best it can be so that it continues to be an amazing place to live for myself and my two boys. That is why I led a massive community initiative inspiring thousands in Penticton. That is why I became President of the Okanagan School of the Arts to try and save the Shatford Centre so the community could continue to enjoy it. That is why I opened the Westside’s first Coworking Space so there is a place for individuals and businesses to work, collaborate and do great things. For me, if I don't use my talents and knowledge to help as many people as possible it hurts them, so I continue to spend countless hours helping the communities I live and work in. I want to be your MLA so we have true, independent thought in the Legislature. I will stand up for those of us that do not have a voice during this pandemic."
For more information on Keith MacIntyre and other party candidates, click here.
To find out more details on the BC Libertarian Party, click here.
