Ontario Votes 2007: Interview with Family Coalition Party candidate Kristen Monster, Willowdale

October 3, 2007 Kristen Monster is running for the Family Coalition Party in the Ontario provincial election, in the Willowdale riding. Wikinews' Nick Moreau interviewed her regarding her values, her experience, and her campaign.

Stay tuned for further interviews; every candidate from every party is eligible, and will be contacted. Expect interviews from Liberals, Progressive Conservatives, New Democratic Party members, Ontario Greens, as well as members from the Family Coalition, Freedom, Communist, Libertarian, and Confederation of Regions parties, as well as independents.

Interview
'''Why have you chosen to involve yourself in the political process? Why did you choose to run in this constituency?'''
 * I chose to involve myself in the political process in order to address the deficiency of integrity and morality in government. This province has suffered from irresponsible leadership and management for too many years. Now is the time to step forward, become involved, and demand accountability. That is why I am running as a candidate in this provincial election.


 * I chose to run as a candidate in the riding of Willowdale in this election on account of being a student at a university which is situated in the riding (Tyndale University College). In the past four years of study, I have become acquainted with the riding, the people who live there, and the issues they face. With the insights I have gained, I believe I can serve the people of Willowdale.

'''What prior political experience do you have? What skills and insight can you bring to office, from other non-political positions you may have held?'''
 * I grew up with politics. Even from a young age, I can remember discussing events and issues which were affecting the province, the country, and the world. As a teenager, I assisted in grassroots campaigning for the Christian Heritage Party. I have attended a number of political conferences, joined pro-life and pro-marriage rallies in Ottawa, and have participated in Show the Truth demonstrations in both Oshawa and Toronto. In 2006, I was nominated and elected to the position of Secretary of the board for the CHP riding association of Durham.


 * In addition to this political experience, I have held leadership positions in discussion-based groups, positions that require tact and the ability to mediate controversial topics, as well as organization and communication skills, and also compassion and understanding. I have a strong work ethic: I am competent, thorough, and pursue excellence in my work. Furthermore, attending a university which attracts students of different cultural and religious backgrounds, I have had the unique opportunity to interact with and establish friendships with a wide variety of people, and thus I have confidence that I can relate to and serve all the different people of my riding.

What makes you the most desirable of all candidates running in the riding?
 * Of all the candidates running in the riding of Willowdale, I can offer my constituents honesty, integrity, and morality. I am not making campaign promises to be broken later, as others have done. I am not pledging millions of dollars for the sake of buying votes. I am simply presenting principles and reforms for managing government affairs responsibly, efficiently, and fairly, and am offering my services to the people of Willowdale. Whatever this office asks of me, I will seek to do the best for my riding.

'''What do you feel are the three most important issues to voters in your riding? Are these the same top three issues that are most important to you? What would you do to address these issues?'''
 * The three most important issues to voters in the riding of Willowdale in this election are transportation, senior care, and education. One or two of these issues are the same as, or related to, the issues that are most important to me (protection of all human life, protection and promotion of the family, and parental choice in education).


 * For Willowdale's issues, I would propose the following solutions:


 * Transportation. Recently, Toronto's budget shortfall made funding for the TTC and the quality of transportation in this riding into serious issues. I suggest as a possible solution that the provincial government pursue having the TTC buses (and other public transit systems) privatized, and encourage competing bus companies to become established. This would contribute to lower fare prices and better service, and would most likely attract more consumers and create more jobs. The money that was originally being used for the TTC buses could then be invested in improving and maintaining the subway system (for the present).


 * Senior Care. Seniors are valuable people, who deserve respect and proper treatment. I believe that, on a general basis, the best care-givers are their family members. I will provide tax breaks for persons who support and properly care for their aged parents, and will create incentives for others to do so. I would rather see seniors at home, being cared for by family members who love them, than in long-term nursing facilities.


 * Education. The education of a child is not something for the government to decide: parents have an inalienable right and duty to oversee the education of their children, and the provincial government should respect and promote this. The education system should be opened to parental choice and free market competition.

What should be the first order of business in the 39th legislative assembly?
 * The first order of business in the 39th Legislative Assembly should be to address the issue of the right of women to be informed. At present, women opting for the elective procedure of abortion are not informed of the risks this procedure poses to their health and the health of the child in the womb. Medical practitioners should be required to make this information available to women patients considering abortion.

Are the property taxes in your riding at a fair level for the amount of services received in the municipality?
 * Property taxes need to be reconsidered. I believe cities should be subject to the Taxpayer Protection Act. City and municipality budgets should be cut back to focus on the essential services and operations of government. The Family Coalition Party opposes the proposed additional provincial land transfer tax in Toronto. Our direction is exactly the opposite: a reduction of taxes. In addition, we are considering removing the collection of the education portion from property taxes, which penalizes home ownership, and we would use general revenue to fund education. This would be a big incentive towards property ownership, personal savings, and would improve the economy in general.

How can the province lead the way in stimulating job creation?
 * The province can lead the way in stimulating job creation by removing some of the tax burden placed on small businesses and individuals.

What are your views on the mixed member proportional representation referendum?
 * I support mixed member proportional representation. In the current first-past-the-post system, a politician can win a seat in a riding even when the majority voted against him. In such cases, the votes cast have unequal value, the majority of the constituents are not receiving representation, and the politician can avoid accountability to his riding. MMPR provides a fairer voting system that will ensure that everyone's vote counts, and that everyone's voice is heard. This new electoral system allows greater voter choice, fairer election results, and stronger representation.

'''What role, if any, does "new media" play in your campaign, and the campaign of your party? (websites, blogs, Facebook, YouTube, etc.) Do you view it as beneficial, or a challenge?'''
 * New media has played a major role in my campaign. I have taken advantage of websites (h: ad my own made), and utilized the other internet websites (mainly newspapers). New media has proved beneficial for my campaign.