Ontario Votes 2007: Interview with Libertarian candidate Aaron Parent, Essex

October 7, 2007 Aaron Parent is running for the Libertarian in the Ontario provincial election, in the Essex riding. Wikinews' Nick Moreau interviewed him regarding his values, his experience, and his 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 because I’ve never heard anyone express an unabashed love for their government. Most people are disenchanted with the sordid affairs of politics which is why I am beseeching fellow Ontarians to vote for less government. I’m also passionate about absolute civil liberty and freedom of choice, something libertarians idealize but are restricted in utilizing in part from government legislation and taxation. I chose to run in this constituency because I’m not sure many people are familiar with libertarian ideology and I wanted to educate and hopefully invigorate potential voters.

'''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?'''
 * None, per se. I am, however, a 4th year Honours student at the University of Windsor majoring in Communication Studies/Political Science so I'm familiar with the political spectrum. I’ve owned and operated my own lawn service (which makes me a lawntrepreneur, of sorts) for a number of years so I’ve become accustomed to dealing with people and satisfying their needs. I genuinely care about people’s concerns and always want to make them happy, much like I would do as an MPP.

'''Which of your competitors do you expect to pose the biggest challenge to your candidacy? Why? What makes you the most desirable of all candidates running in the riding?'''
 * Anyone who believes that government is the solution to the majority of our problems (health care, education, and environment) or believes taxation is good. Our party is quite different in that we believe the government IS the problem. In the grand scheme of things, we would take power so we could greatly reduce our own power. Government should be kept to an absolute minimum and not rule like a tax-hungry leviathan.

'''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 Detroit-Windsor border crossing
 * Wind turbines as a viable source of renewable energy
 * Agriculture
 * To address these issues I would do very little because we libertarians believe that the government prevents any real resolution. These matters should be resolved civilly and judiciously in private courts without the government unilaterally imposing their will or without politicians being financially bribed into favouring one side.

What should be the first order of business in the 39th Legislative Assembly?
 * Hypothetically, if libertarians ever gained power we would dissolve the government to an absolute minimum and immediately seeks measures to abolish taxation or curtail it as much as possible.

Are the property taxes in your riding at a fair level for the amount of services received in the municipality?
 * No; libertarians believe property owners should have exclusive rights over their land. They bought their land and should own and control it themselves without being subject to government scrutiny. If all other forms of taxation were abolished we would convert property taxes to fees for municipal services and introduce as much free market choice as possible. Property owners should be the true assessors of their land’s value, not the government.

How can the province lead the way in stimulating job creation?
 * By introducing a free market which attracts businesses both small and large and doesn’t deter them due to exorbitant taxation and government intervention.

What are your views on the mixed member proportional representation (MMP) referendum?'
 * It could potentially lead to a coalition government whereby a party with the most seats forms an alliance with the party with the least seats needed to form a majority. Subsequently, the smaller party can hold the legislature at ransom and threaten a new election if they don’t get their way. Elections cost taxpayers which is another problem with our system. Why should we have to pay for such shenanigans? The MMP is good for name recognition and exposure but can lead to chaos.

'''What role, if any, does "new media" play in your campaign, and the campaign of your party? (websites, blogs, Facebook, YouTube videos, etc) Do you view it as beneficial, or a challenge?'''
 * "The medium is the message", as our good friend Marshall McLuhan once said. It probably hasn’t played as large a role as it should but fortunately there are a number of websites which list all of the candidates which is beneficial for exposure. I’ve also joined the Libertarians of Essex County Facebook group to get my name, as well as the party’s, out there. The Ontario Libertarian Party as well as the Libertarian Party of Canada websites are great for information on our platform as well as candidates.

'''Of the decisions made by Ontario's 38th Legislative Assembly, which was the most beneficial to your this electoral district? To the province as a whole? Which was least beneficial, or even harmful, to your this riding? To the province as a whole?'''
 * Generally, most decisions are harmful to all Ontarians as the government takes away our freedom of choice and makes decisions they think we'll like or hope we accept based on their inability to manage money and function cohesively.