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In the second instalment of TimminsToday's candidate profiles for the riding of Timmins-James Bay, we feature Charlie Angus of the New Democratic Party of Canada.
Angus is the incumbent MP, having held the position since 2004.
He defeated Liberal incumbent Ray Chenier by a mere 613 votes in that election, making him the first New Democrat to ever represent the riding.
He was re-elected in the 2006, 2008 and 2011 federal elections.
In his role as NDP ethics critic, Angus is a frequent guest panellist on CBC's Power & Politics.
In 2012, Maclean's magazine named Angus one of the 25 most influential Canadians.
Angus recently spoke with TimminsToday to discuss his campaign and politics at the national level.
Q - How do you feel Tom Mulcair fared in the first leader's debate?
A - We had a really good first leader's debate.
There was this idea that Tom was going to be 'Angry Tom' and he showed himself Prime Ministerial.
He waited, listened to the questions and answered.
He was concise on all the clear issues.
Debates are debates.
I think the real debate that's happening in this country is 'Who is the agent for change?'
Who is going to be able to push back on the Stephen Harper agenda, and we've one that debate clearly.
The New Democrats right now, are the only party who will stand up to Stephen Harper.
Q - What can be done to stimulate economic growth in the Timmins-James Bay riding?
A - Small and medium-sized businesses are the drivers of our economy.
Stephen Harper's idea of economic growth was to give massive tax breaks to very large corporations.
We saw that money go overseas.
We saw that money getting paid out in large CEO bonuses.
Our idea of tax incentives is support for capital investment, so if you want to invest in your plan, you're going to get a tax break.
We want to lower the tax rate for medium and small businesses from 11 percent to 9 percent, because this is the engine in our region where jobs are being created.
We believe tax incentives need to be targeted.
If you want to create jobs, if you want to build your business, we'll be there for you.
Q - Voter turnout will be a major factor in deciding the next government. Do you think the turnout will be higher in this election?
A - One of the things we're going to be dealing with are the new electoral laws.
Last time, we saw unprecedented levels of voter fraud tied back to the Conservative Party, and what did they do?
They made it harder to track voter fraud under the changes to the Election Act.
They're going to make it more difficult for people, mostly seniors, young people, First Nations people with the voting changes.
We are out there working hard, telling people you're going to need proof of your address, which you didn't need before, you're going to need your photo I.D.
We want to make sure as many people are able to vote as possible.
I feel there is a real desire for change.
People are frustrated.
They don't like the direction Stephen Harper is taking them.
We don't want people's right to vote monkey-wrenched by the changes that Stephen Harper brought in.
Q - This is the longest election campaign in recent memory. The Harper government has altered the regulations on campaign spending. How does this affect your campaign?
A - They have not run one honest election yet.
In 2006, they were convicted in the In and Out spending scheme.
They had Peter Penashue lose his seat from over spending.
Dean DelMastro went to jail over it.
Now what they've done is double the length of the election, for what?
This isn't so they can get out and talk to more Canadians, this is about doubling electoral spending limits.
It's cynical, and I think Canadians see through it.
When they see deep pockets that Stephen Harper has, he's trying to bring American style politics to Canada, where big money wins the game but I think Canadians see through it.
Canadians are tired of this kind of manipulation.
If Stephen Harper really thought he could win the election honestly, he'd get out and do it.
But he's always, always trying to gain the system.
Q - Will NDP leader Tom Mulcair be making any stops in the riding during the campaign?
A - We've had Tom come up during the leadership race, one of the very first places Tom came after becoming leader was Timmins.
We've had Tom go through the North recently.
We're really trying to focus Tom on the ridings that we need to break through.
Because we need to break through in areas we've never been before.
Tom is more than willing to come to Timmins, but I'm telling him to come up after the election, let's get out and really break the Stephen Harper base, and I think we're going to do that.
Q - As NDP ethics critic, you have a significant knowledge of the Mike Duffy and Nigel Wright scandal. What is your take on the situation?
A - We're seeing a pattern of collusion and conspiracy right inside the office of the Prime Minister.
Involving his Chief of Staff, his lawyer, his new Chief of Staff, issues of bribery and fraud, these are very serious charges.
It's a question of the character of the Prime Minister.
He presents us with two scenarios, either Stephen Harper stood up and lied consistently for two years, or he was lied to by his staff for two years and never bothered to find out the truth.
Even though more and more information has come forward that has made his claims patently ridiculous.
What kind of a man allows the people around him to mislead him, fool him, and send him out to say ridiculous things day after day for two solid years?
He's content with that.
It's a question of character.
It's a question of leadership.
Q - During your nearly 11-year tenure as the representative of this riding, what are some of the biggest changes you've made for the people of Timmins-James Bay?
A - Through my work in the region, we've put the issue of badly underfunded First Nations schools on the national agenda.
Getting schools built, forcing the government to deal with inequities in child education.
That has a huge impact on our region.
In this last session, I worked on a national strategy for palliative care for the dying, so that we can support families at home.
That's something that we started here in Timmins, and it has received support in Parliament.
I've been involved in all manner of regional projects and programs.
I think at the end of the day, we have a riding bigger than Great Britain, and people know I'm out there.
I'm relentlessly in my car, I'm always in the communities.
People call me, I call them back.
That's what people in the North want.
They want to know that if they have a problem, someone will be on the other end to listen to them.
Election 2015
Read Part 2 of TimminsToday's interview with NDP candidate Charlie Angus.
Read Part 1 of TimminsToday's interview with Liberal candidate Todd Lever
Read Part 2 of TimminsToday's interview with Liberal candidate Todd Lever
(PHOTO: Charlie Angus. Andrew Autio for TimminsToday)
