Why are you running for federal office?
- I thought my days as an MLA and Minister were behind me. But witnessing the decline of our community — due to rising affordability issues, increasing crime and a relentless wave of overdose-related deaths — I could no longer stand idly by. I’m once again answering the call of public service because I believe it's time to bring common sense back to Ottawa and to restore the promise of Canada. That promise means ensuring that everyone in Coquitlam–Port Coquitlam has a safe community to live in, where families can thrive and pay their monthly bills, and where the next generation can afford to build their futures. It means putting an end to the revolving door of repeat offenders and stopping the spread of deadly, toxic drugs by dealers on our streets. I want the federal government to step in where the Liberals have failed us — by taking real action on the public health emergency of overdose deaths. This includes securing our borders, properly funding mental health and addiction recovery services, and making hard drugs illegal again.
What federal roles have you held in the past four years?
- In the past four years, I’ve not only been a member of the Conservative Party and an active member of the local EDA, but also co-chaired the EDA 2021 Conservative campaign. I was twice elected a Tri-Cities MLA, and Cabinet Minister in the provincial government, serving on the Treasury Board and assigned ministerial responsibility for trade, small business, labour and economic development.
What is your current job?
- Most recently, I served as CEO of Maximizer Software for six years and currently hold the position of vice chair, where I continue to champion innovation and B.C.’s growing role in the global technology sector.
How long have you lived in the riding?
- More than 25 years.
Why are you running for this party?
- The Conservative Party is the only party committed to restoring common sense and focusing on what truly matters in our communities. We know the Liberals cannot be trusted to fix the problems they spent 10 years creating. How can we trust a party that has passed a never-ending stream of laws and regulations that cripple infrastructure development, halted our resource exports by banning tanker traffic and cancelling pipelines, while simultaneously driving up the cost of living through inflation caused by overprinting money and imposing punishing taxes throughout every layer of our economy? After 10 years under Ron McKinnon and the Liberals, Canada is weaker. We lack the economic diversity needed to stand up to the challenges of Trump’s America because the Liberals have failed the most basic test of leadership: making our country stronger. Ron McKinnon and the Carney–Trudeau Liberals have had their chance to show us who they are. I’m running to put an end to this and bring the change we need — to make Canada, and Coquitlam–Port Coquitlam, strong and safe once again.
How long have you been a party member?
- 15 years or more.
What are your Top 3 campaign promises?
- I will work with the cities of Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam to advocate for their major infrastructure priorities, such as the Coquitlam River Bridge, especially since there has been no federal investment in Tri-Cities’ infrastructure for a decade. I will vote to make our communities safe, to make hard drugs illegal again and will advocate for increased federal funds toward policing and addition recovery services. As a former provincial Minister of Economic Development when our economy was thriving, I will vote to cut taxes, reduce the suffocating regulatory burdens on our businesses, and implement the Conservative promise to remove capital gains taxes on investment gains that are re-invested in Canadian businesses.
If elected, how will you ensure you are available to constituents?
- Having already served as an elected official, I understand how important and essential it is to be accessible to constituents. Since my time in office, technology has evolved, making it easier than ever to stay connected. I am committed to being available — both virtually and in person — through our excellent constituency office services.
The Tri-City News will be closing no later than May 21. How will you and your party work to strengthen or change the Online News Act to ensure Canadians in communities of all sizes continue to have access to independent, trustworthy local information?
- It is clear that Liberal policies have had a negative impact on news media. Under Ron McKinnon’s watch, our local newspaper has gone out of print — while billions of dollars continue to be funnelled into the CBC without expectations or conditions. (Just recently, Carney announced another $150 million for the CBC. Where is the support for local media, Ron?) Bill C-18 has been an abject failure, and has been quickly relegated to being little more than a censorship vehicle, courtesy of the Liberal government, and should be repealed immediately. Any funding of Canadian media must be re-examined with a view to a more effective and fair reallocation, to both support media diversity and strengthen local journalism.
How are you and your party preparing for future pandemics?
- The Conservative Party is the only party advocating for Canada fulfilling its potential as an economic fortress. By growing our economy via unleashing the creative talent of our entrepreneurs and the power of our unique national resources we will truly — and finally! — put Canada first. As part of this we will make our own PPE, medicines and drugs to keep our communities safe and will eliminate our dependency on foreign governments when in a time of crisis.
How are you and your party implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action?
- For hundreds of years, First Nations have suffered under a broken colonial system that takes power away from their communities and places it in the hands of politicians in Ottawa. The Indian Act hands over all reserve land and money to the federal government. This means that First Nations have to go to Ottawa to ask for their tax revenues collected from resource projects on their land. This outdated system puts power in the hands of bureaucrats, politicians and lobbyists — not First Nations. The direct result of this “Ottawa-knows-best” approach has been poverty, substandard infrastructure and housing, unsafe drinking water and despair. Conservatives have listened to First Nations and have announced policy for an optional First Nations Resource Charge (FNRC) that enables First Nations to take back control of their resources and money. This is a First Nation-led solution to a made-in-Ottawa problem. First Nations and the First Nations Tax Commission developed the plan, brought it to Conservatives, and we accepted it. This new optional model will simplify negotiations between resource companies and First Nations. (Note that the FNRC will not preclude any community from continuing to use other existing arrangements, such as Impact Benefit Agreements.) First Nations can choose the FNRC to replace the financial component in Impact Benefit Agreements or supplement IBAs, as they wish. The FNRC will respect all treaty rights and all constitutional rights — including the Duty to Consult. Putting First Nations back in control of their money and letting them bring home the benefits of their resources, will help get local buy-in for good projects to go ahead. In other words, more earnings for grassroots First Nations communities, not Ottawa gatekeepers. Those earnings will mean paycheques. Only common sense Conservatives will fight for real economic reconciliation by supporting First Nations taking back control of their money and lives.
Municipalities are struggling with growth orders from senior levels of government. How will you and your party address the needs for more/upgraded infrastructure?
- I will work with the mayors and councils of Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam to truly — FINALLY! — advocate for the federal funding required for local infrastructure priorities (e.g., the Coquitlam River Bridge). Candidly, having been personally involved in successfully advocating for regional infrastructure when provincially elected, I am astonished at the LACK of material investment in the Tri-Cities in the past 10 years. I was elected twice (2005 and 2009) and during my time in office the B.C. and then-federal Conservative government invested in and/or delivered the Port Mann Bridge, the Eleanor Ward Bridge, the Pitt River Bridge, the Coast Meridian Overpass, the Millennium Line and bike lane infrastructure, as well as committing money for the extraordinary Port Coquitlam Community Centre. This is all in addition to the expected program funding for smaller transportation projects, flood prevention, etc. Where have Ron McKinnon and the federal Liberal government been for 10 years? (We are clearly not a priority for federal Liberals; local votes have been taken for granted.) Aside from advocating for obvious Tri-Cities projects like the Fremont Connector and the Coquitlam River Bridge replacement, I will push for the creation of a new Western Gateway Infrastructure Fund to deliver real, practical solutions — such as road-rail grade separations and underpasses along Lougheed Highway and in Port Coquitlam. These improvements will help essential trade flow more efficiently and also enhance the quality of life for local residents. This funding would be specifically targeted at communities that support trade infrastructure, like the rail yards in Port Coquitlam and the industrial warehouse lands in Coquitlam. I have done this before and I will do it again if elected.
How will you and your party improve income support for seniors and people with disabilities?
- As a Conservative policy, we commit to allowing working seniors to earn as much as $34,000 a year without paying income tax. We also proposed pushing the registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) age limit from 71 to 73 and promise to hold the retirement age at 65 for Canada Pension Plan (CPP), Old Age Security (OAS) and Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) qualification.
With threatened annexation by the U.S. president, do you and your party support an increase in defence spending?
- Absolutely. Canada must remain “the True North — strong and free.” We cannot achieve that with a weakened military and Liberal policies that have slashed funding and demoralized our troops. The list of broken promises from the Liberals to our veterans is long — that will end with a Conservative government. We are committed to restoring pride and strength in our Armed Forces. A Conservative government will return the culture of the Canadian Armed Forces to a "warrior" one by increasing military resources and support. Real change is needed — not more empty rhetoric from someone like Mark Carney, who’s shifting and concerning positions on Canada’s economy, attacks on our resources industries, etc., leave Canadians wondering which version of him they’ll see each day.
Canada's overdose epidemic is a national crisis. What will you and your party do to ensure that harm reduction services and safer supply programs are more available?
- The Liberal experiment has failed. It has only made things worse and the decline of our communities has accelerated under their watch. Mark Carney has brushed off this horrific epidemic as “not being a crisis” despite more than 50,000 Canadians dying from an overdose — more than the number of brave Canadians who died in WWII. This ends with a Conservative government; we are the only real option for meaningful change. The Conservative position is clear: we will immediately defund so-called "safer supply" drug policies and redirect funding toward treatment and recovery programs. I will vote to make our communities safe. I will vote both to make hard drugs illegal again and to increase the mandatory jail time for convicted opioid traffickers, and I will also advocate for increased federal funding for policing and addiction recovery services.
Contact
- Address: 32 – 2755 Lougheed Highway, Port Coquitlam V3B 5Y9
- iainblack.ca
- facebook.com/iain.black
- x.com/iainblackbc?lang=en
- instagram.com/iainblackofficial
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