Why are running again for federal office?
- I am running for re-election as the member of Parliament for Coquitlam–Port Coquitlam because I believe I can continue to be this community's strongest voice. I am proud to have lived and raised my family in our exceptional community for over 30 years. It has been the honour of a lifetime to serve as your member of Parliament for nearly a decade. Together, we have delivered real progress for this diverse, beautiful and fast-growing place we call home. This is an important election, perhaps the most important of our generation. Canada is facing complex challenges and uncertainty. Yet, in a crisis, Canadians come together to tackle challenges — because united, we are Canada strong. With Prime Minister Mark Carney as the new Liberal leader, we have a plan to build a stronger economy, support workers and stand strong against Donald Trump. In response to unjustified tariffs, Mark Carney and our Liberal team will fight, protect and build. We can choose to elect a government with the expertise and vision to build a stronger Canada that meets the challenges of this moment head on. We can not afford to go backwards. I will never stop working to build a better future for everyone in our Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam communities.
What are your Top 3 achievements in Ottawa over the past term?
- It has been the greatest privilege to serve our community since 2015. I was proud to champion smart policies to strengthen our health-care system from dental care and Pharmacare to increased health-care funding to the Government of British Columbia. As the chair of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security, I helped shepherd critical legislation through the parliamentary process to help protect and maintain the safety of communities across Canada. In particular by strengthening our gun control framework to safeguard Canadians from gun violence. I had the honour to introduce a private member’s bill to enshrine the Court Challenges Program into federal law. The court challenges program supports Canadians seeking to bring cases of national significance that protect our constitutional rights. It plays a vital role in ensuring that the government acts within the bounds of the Constitution and the Official Languages Act.
What are your party's Top 3 achievements over the past term?
- Our Liberal government has worked to build a healthier future for Canadians right across the country. We delivered on Pharmacare, beginning with diabetes and contraception medication and signed a $670-million agreement with the Government of B.C. We introduced the Canadian Dental Care Plan so that seniors, kids and everyone in between can get the dental care they need to live healthy lives. We bolstered our $10-a-day child care program and the National School Food program to make life more affordable for families. Through the Housing Accelerator Fund and our housing plan, we helped remove barriers to housing supply and worked to improve affordability in municipalities like Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam.
What are your Top 3 achievements in the riding over the past term?
- During my time as member of Parliament for Coquitlam–Port Coquitlam, I have built strong relationships with my local counterparts from all levels of government. These relationships have catalyzed positive results and real progress for our community. By working together, we have delivered and built up this exceptional place to live. I was pleased to announce $25 million for the City of Coquitlam and $10.3 million for the City of Port Coquitlam through the Housing Accelerator Fund, eliminating barriers to housing in our cities. Working with our local government, I delivered critical funding that will help ensure families have a safe, affordable place to live. Bolstering our infrastructure is essential to keeping our community safe from the extreme impacts of climate change. I delivered $9.6 million for Port Coquitlam to support flood mitigation upgrades in Maple Creek and Cedar Creek. This will help ensure we are ready for the challenges ahead as we address the climate crisis.
What have you heard from constituents over the past term?
- Our community is vibrant, diverse, fast-growing, and proud to live in this exceptional place. When I speak to you, I hear that you are concerned about making life more affordable, addressing the overdose crisis, protecting our environment and fighting climate change and safeguarding our sovereignty. While we have made progress, there is more to do to make sure everyone in Coquitlam–Port Coquitlam can reach their full potential. I am committed to advocating for smart policies that build and strengthen our community. With Mark Carney as the new Liberal leader, I know we will build a stronger Canada, together.
What gives your party the edge in this upcoming election?
- This election is about protecting Canada and standing up for our sovereignty. Under the new leadership of Mark Carney, the Liberal team will grow our economy, stand up to Donald Trump and build a better future for all Canadians. In a time of global uncertainty and the threat of unjustified tariffs, Mark Carney is the right person to take on the challenges Canada is facing. Mark Carney is the right choice to defend and protect our country. The Carney Liberals will build Canada strong.
What are your Top 3 campaign promises?
- Protect Canada’s Sovereignty and Build a Stronger Economy: Under the experienced leadership of Mark Carney, we will defend, protect and build Canada. It has been heartening to see Canadians come together and unite around our shared pride for our country and what it means to be Canadian. From standing up for our sovereignty, protecting workers against tariffs, enhancing our defence spending and working to make life more affordable, Mark Carney will leverage his world-renowned expertise to manage and grow our economy.
- Deliver a Middle-Class Tax Cut: A Carney government will implement a middle-class tax cut to help families save up to $825 a per year. This tax cut will help keep more of your hard-earned money and make sure workers and families can focus on the things that matter most.
- Doubling the Construction of New Homes: Our plan will double the pace of construction to almost 500,000 new homes per year and establish Build Canada Homes, a new public agency dedicated to building homes. We will cut in half municipal development charges for the next five years and eliminate the GST for first-time homebuyers on homes under $1 million. As your member of Parliament, I worked hard to deliver faster, smarter and more affordable housing for our community and with Carney’s leadership, we’ll deliver even more until everyone has a place to call home.
If elected, how will you and your party ensure you are available to constituents?
- Since 2015, my top priority has and continues to be to hear directly from our community. I remain committed to being your accessible and effective voice in Ottawa. Whether it be by email, phone, meetings at my office, at community events or virtually when I’m in Ottawa, it is critically important that I listen to the needs and concerns of my constituents. Rest assured, hearing from you remains of the utmost importance to me.
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?
- Local journalism is critically important to telling Canadian stories and to bring forward local issues to a wider audience. This is the backbone of our democracy. We recently announced a new plan to protect our Canadian identity by strengthening CBC/Radio-Canada. While Pierre Poilievre follows President Trump’s playbook to take aim at the institutions that make Canada strong, we are standing up for them. I will continue to advocate for the advancement and support of local news outlets.
How are you and your party preparing for future pandemics?
- As the chair of the House of Commons committee on health during the COVID-19 pandemic, I know the importance of investing in science, research and to maintain close coordination with our local health authorities so we can respond to developing concerns in a timely manner. This is essential as any new health emergency will bring unique challenges that will require us to be flexible, responsive and adaptive. We have undertaken key measures in this regard, including launching Health Emergency Readiness Canada to increase our ability to respond to infectious diseases, enhancing Canada’s vaccine production by bolstering our bio-manfucturing sector and developing a new Pandemic Preparedness Plan. We will continue to work with all levels of governments, experts and Indigenous communities to safeguard the health and safety of Canadians.
How are you and your party implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action?
- We are committed to walking the shared path of reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, to heal, recognize and address the ongoing legacy of colonialism and the residential school system that continues to reverberate throughout generations. While we have taken many meaningful and effective steps to address the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action there is much work ahead. This is our collective responsibility and we are steadfast in our pursuit of reconciling our past and building a better, fairer future — together.
Municipalities are struggling with growth orders from senior levels of the government. How will you and your party address the needs for more/upgraded infrastructure?
- It has always been my priority to have strong relationships with my counterparts in Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam and the legislature to ensure my advocacy in Ottawa is informed by their needs. And together, we delivered results for our communities. Infrastructure is the foundation of healthy and prosperous communities. Right here in the Lower Mainland, for example, we’ve delivered $1.3 billion in federal funding to the Surrey Langley SkyTrain extension project. Our Liberal government is committed to investing in the critical infrastructure needed to build and grow our communities.
How will you and your party improve income support for seniors and people with disabilities?
- Since 2015, I have advocated and delivered supports that meet seniors where they are at with the support they need. In this moment of instability, in particular, we need additional protection for our seniors and their retirement savings. In the short term, a re-elected Liberal government will reduce the minimum withdrawal from a Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF) by 25% for one year to allow for more flexibility. We will also increase the Guaranteed Income Supplement by five per cent for one year, providing up to $562 more to low-income seniors, tax free. There is much more work to be done and I am committed to advocating for the needs of seniors of Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam.
With threatened annexation by the U.S. president, do you and your party support an increase in defence spending?
- Absolutely. Mark Carney and the Liberal team know that to secure Canadian sovereignty, we need to strengthen our military. We are committed to reaching our two per cent NATO target by 2030 while prioritizing value for money to protect Canadians. Our plan will rebuild, reinvest and rearm the Canadian Armed Forces to ensure that we remain Canada Strong and independent.
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 tragic impacts of the overdose crisis are felt by families, friends and loved ones across Canada and our community is no exception. My private member’s bill, the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act, became law in May 2017 after receiving unanimous all-party support in both the House of Commons and the Senate. The law is saving lives by providing limited immunity from prosecution for possession of controlled substances when someone calls for medical assistance during a drug overdose. Since 2017, our Liberal government has invested over $1 billion directly to address this devastating public health crisis. People who are struggling need access to a full continuum of care, including harm reduction, prevention, treatment and recovery as well as other supports like housing. It is important to recognize that this is a public health issue, not a criminal justice one. Through the Emergency Treatment Fund, we invested $150 million to help municipalities and First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities address their urgent needs and support rapid responses. All levels of government, health-care professionals, people with lived and living experience, and advocates must work together to ensure people get the help they need, no matter where they live. We are committed to using every tool at our disposal to end this crisis and build a safer, healthier and more caring future for all Canadians.
Contact
- Address: #104-1250 Dominion Ave.
- Phone: 236-260-0088
- Instagram:@ronmckinnonlib
- Facebook: /ronmckinnonlib
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