Each candidate was asked to submit a biography and answer three questions. Below is the response from the Communist Party's candidate for Kitchener-Waterloo, Elizabeth Rowley.
Biography
I am the leader of the Communist Party (Ontario). I am also a former Public School Trustee, and was co-chair of the East York Days of Action, organizing with my constituents against the Mike Harris Tory government and in defence of public education, public services, and labour and democratic rights. I continue to campaign for a single, secular public education system open to all regardless of religion, gender or nationality, and for strong and accountable local School Boards rooted in local democracy and autonomy.
Working in numerous coalitions and committees, I’ve campaigned for nuclear disarmament and a foreign policy of peace; for Canadian sovereignty, for medicare, for proportional representation and democratic electoral reform; for just settlement of Aboriginal land claims, for stronger labour laws including plant closure legislation with teeth and anti-scab, and for affordable social housing.
I’ve walked many picket lines, addressed many public meetings, and made many trips to Queen’s Park and Ottawa to deliver briefs and to protest.
An ardent advocate of peace, jobs, democracy and socialism since first becoming politically active, and a parent of 2 young adults, I am more convinced than ever that another world is possible, urgent, and worth fighting for!
Why should the constituents of Kitchener-Waterloo vote for you?
A vote for the Communist Party is a vote for the 10 point Prescription for a People’s Recovery – for jobs and rising living standards, for strong social programs, for affordable housing and rents, for a new financial deal for cities and school boards, for strong civil, social, labour and democratic rights, for tax policies that will put the load on the corporations and the wealthy – providing tax relief for the rest.
It’s a vote against the pro-corporate, austerity policies of the Liberals and Tories, a criticism of the NDP’s tepid policies, and the Greens’ privatization policies.
It’s a vote to build a powerful movement of the 99% that will continue past election day, campaigning for action to meet people’s needs.
It’s a vote sending a strong message in support of free collective bargaining and a single secular public school system open to all – a message greatly needed September 6.
If you are elected as an MPP, what will your top two priorities be?
The first priority is to protect and expand civil, social, labour, and democratic rights, beginning with the right to free collective bargaining, guaranteed in the Charter of Rights, but under sharp attack by both the Liberals and the Tories. The strength of a democracy can be easily measured by the breadth of civil, social, labour and democratic rights its citizens and residents enjoy. Our rights are rapidly disappearing, and being replaced by repressive legislation and policing. This has to be reversed, and democracy firmly entrenched.
The second priority is economic recovery, and replacing pro-corporate policies with emergency action to create well-paid, permanent jobs in value-added manufacturing and secondary industry, in restored public services and social programs, in a massive social housing construction program. This can be paid for by doubling the corporate tax rate, reversing corporate tax cuts, and introducing progressive tax policies based on ability to pay. Substantially increasing wages and incomes will raise living standards, reduce poverty and personal debt. Good jobs and higher wages and incomes will get the economy moving, create real wealth, fund social programs, and eliminate the provincial deficit and debt over time.
This is how to achieve a people’s recovery in Ontario.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing Ontarians?
Most working people know that this by-election won’t solve the big problems facing us, though a Liberal majority or a stronger Tory caucus in Queen’s Park could make things much worse. Provincial and federal budget cuts could eliminate 100,000 jobs in Ontario, slash public services, privatize healthcare and education, and attack important social, civil, labour and democratic rights, including free collective bargaining.
Ontario needs a progressive majority, including Communists and others committed to a people’s agenda, to bring about real, progressive change; change that will curb corporate power, and put people’s needs before corporate profits and greed.
But it will take a movement – a people’s coalition – to move people into action, to rally for new policies and new governments that put people first.
Building that powerful ‘all-in’ movement, including students, women, seniors, labour, farmers, racialized communities, Aboriginal Peoples, everyone who cares about our common future, this is the challenge.
