The Ottawa Citizen recently asked readers: “What’s the one issue that needs immediate attention from Canada’s next leader?” Hundreds responded, and we drew up what we’re calling the Citizen’s Agenda: Five questions for Ottawa-Outaouais candidates in the April 28 federal election.
In Pontiac-Kitigan Zibi riding, we sent the questionnaire to candidates from the five major parties. Three responses — from Green party candidate Claude Bertrand, Liberal Sophie Chatel and New Democrat Gilbert Whiteduck — were received. In alphabetical order, here are their thoughts.
Claude Bertrand, Green Party
How do you hope to improve Canada’s and Quebec’s economic competitiveness?
• By keeping and improving our publiclt funded health-care system. It is deemed to be one of our economic advantages when compared with the United States.
• By striving to keep our workforce happy, well educated, well trained and motivated. By giving our workers a say in their wellbeing and making sure that they are being heard.
• By helping our companies make use of better technologies (including automation, robotics, CNC (computer numerical control), computer-based design and, soon, Artificial Intelligence.
• By providing our industries with reliable and cheap power (electricity).
• By maintaining a good, safe and efficient transport infrastructure (including rail, roads, shipping, air freight).
Overall, by being more efficient.
What is one locally focused campaign pledge that will be your priority as MP?
I want to do all I can to improve the economic condition of those who live and work in the Pontiac-Kitigan Zibi. With federal, provincial, municipal and First Nation governments’ help, I want to attract investments and public funds to kick start businesses and/or bring businesses into Pontiac-Kitigan Zibi.
What are your thoughts on the current size of the federal public service?
As a federal employee, I lived through a force reduction drive in the 1990s in the federal government. There seemed to be genuine efforts to do things more efficiently.
One way to evaluate if the various departments of the federal public service are sized “just right” is through benchmarking — that is, to compare between countries at the department/ministry level. One compares each country against its counterparts, comparing between equivalent departments, the mandated tasks and the size of the current workforce for the given population.
How do you propose helping to fix the housing crisis in the Outaouais?
We must carefully examine the possibility of transforming existing vacant city buildings to determine if they can be cost effectively transformed for the purpose of housing.
We must discourage urban sprawl by building more affordable housing in the city centres, within walking distance to public transport, promoting car-free living and by the same token, revitalizing the downtown.
We also have a unique opportunity to start a factory to build prefabricated affordable and environmentally sustainable homes from the wood harvested in the Pontiac. We must also explore if we can integrate such prefabricated homes into a comprehensive multi-storey structure such as Habitat 67 in Montreal. There are already many such examples around the world.
Working hand-in-hand with municipal governments, we must strive to build attractive, cost-effective affordable housing units (affordable is defined as costing less than one-third of household income). We must aim to house those who need housing the most.
And finally (on a lighter note): What’s your favourite season? Why?
The fall. I live in a modest cottage by a beautiful lake north of Wakefield in the Gatineau Hills. It is absolutely beautiful year-round but for me, the fall is special: the colours, the smell of the rain, the wildlife getting ready for winter. The vast majority of my neighbours go back to their city dwellings. It then becomes incredibly quiet. That’s when I feel as if I have this beautiful lake and the surrounding hills all to myself (and a few other year -round residents).
Sophie Chatel, Liberal party
How do you hope to improve Canada’s and Quebec’s economic competitiveness?
Canada faces serious economic challenges, from Donald Trump’s tariffs to the global shifts in AI and clean energy, but I believe in our people and in Mark Carney’s leadership. Together, we will build the fastest-growing economy in the G7. Our plan will cut red tape, remove interprovincial trade barriers, defend supply-managed sectors, and invest in affordable housing, clean energy and modern infrastructure.
We will work to unlock the economic potential of our region by supporting farmers, expanding food processing, and growing eco-tourism. With smart leadership and strategic investment, we will build one Canadian economy.
What is one locally focused campaign pledge that will be your priority as MP?
My top local priority is building a resilient economy in the Outaouais. That means supporting the sectors that can make our region strong: agriculture, forestry, housing and eco-tourism. I will work with Mark Carney to remove interprovincial trade barriers, reduce red tape for farmers, and unlock federal investments in housing and tourism infrastructure. We have everything we need to succeed: incredible resources, amazing nature, hardworking people and deep local knowledge. With the right support, we can grow good jobs, attract more visitors and help more families thrive here at home.
What are your thoughts on the current size of the federal public service?
We need a vibrant, modern public service that delivers real results for Canadians. In the national capital region, public servants are essential to both our economy and our identity. I believe we must make the public service more productive, responsive and equipped for the future, not tear it down. By responsibly integrating technology like AI, we can boost efficiency, cut waste and modernize government while protecting essential services. A Liberal government under Mark Carney will slow spending growth, review programs and focus on outcomes without sacrificing jobs or pensions. Pontiac-Kitigan Zibi residents deserve smart reform, not reckless cuts.
How do you propose helping to fix the housing crisis in the Outaouais?
In the Outaouais, we need to build more homes, faster. That includes affordable rentals, family homes and rural housing. A Liberal government under Mark Carney will double the pace of home construction by using Canadian materials such as softwood lumber and investing in modern, prefabricated housing. We must also support municipal infrastructure, especially in small communities. Programs like the Housing Accelerator Fund are key. I will work to ensure our region benefits from these investments so that more families in the Outaouais can find a safe, affordable place to call home.
And finally: What’s your favourite season? Why?
Winter is definitely my favourite season. I’m a passionate cross-country skier, and so are my husband and two sons. Some of my best memories are of us packing a lunch, heading out for a winter adventure, then coming back to cook a cosy dinner at a rental cottage and relaxing by the fire. There’s something truly special about the crisp air, the snowy trails, and the peaceful beauty of winter.
That said, I would not want to live in a country without four distinct seasons. We love outdoor activities, and each season brings its own kind of magic and connection to nature.
Gilbert Whiteduck, NDP
How do you hope to improve Canada’s and Quebec’s economic competitiveness?
Our ultimate focus should be on improving the quality of life for all Canadians, not increasing “competitiveness,” — which is an outdated objective for our current world. We need to build an economy that is more productive, sustainable, innovative, flexible, diversified, resilient and equitable.
Trump has exposed how vulnerable Canada is to the U.S., which is mainly just interested in taking our resources. Our economy is overly dominated by large firms that extract large monopoly and rentier profits while squashing competition and innovation. We need to invest in people, education, infrastructure, developing value-added products, increasing true competition — and collaboration, too.
What is one locally focused campaign pledge that will be your priority as MP?
My campaign pledge is that I will adhere to principles of truthfulness, honesty, humility, responsibility, respect and civility to represent every citizen of the Pontiac-Kitigan Zibi riding. This means that I will stand with and for the people with the wisdom of the years and that of my ancestors. I will always work to connect heart to heart.
What are your thoughts on the current size of the federal public service?
Canada’s talented and hardworking public servants are driven to make life better for Canadians in many different ways. However, they are too often undermined by upper-level bureaucracy and political interference. They could be more effective with greater flexibility and control over their work, and working remotely where it makes sense.
What is definitely too large is the record $18 billion spent last year on expensive outsourcing contracts. These have resulted in fiascos, like the infamous Phoenix pay system, introduced by Stephen Harper and provided by IBM, and the exorbitant ArriveCan App.
How do you propose helping to fix the housing crisis in the Outaouais?
The Outaouais has many affordable housing needs. The NDP is pledging to:
• Provide $16 billion in transfers to municipalities and provinces to build three million homes within five years. Funding is contingent on freezing and reducing development charges, speeding up permitting, ending exclusionary zoning and allowing greater density.
• Provide low-interest, publicly backed loans to families buying their first home, saving families thousands annually.
• Create a Community Housing Bank to provide low-cost financing to co-ops, non-profits and Indigenous communities.
• Make federal Crown land available to build 100,000 rent-controlled homes and speed up approvals while respecting the treaty and inherent rights of Indigenous communities.
And finally (on a lighter note): What’s your favourite season? Why?
In Algonquin Anishinaabe culture, we have six seasons. Fall, pre-winter, winter, pre-spring, spring and summer. My favorite season is pre-fall, because the leaves are about to change into a kaleidoscope of colors, with orange being my favourite. The change of season is beautiful, as it is always the right change for the right reasons. The land and its sacred waters have consistently supported us; thus, we must reciprocate and protect them.
