Cloverdale-Langley City federal by-election candidates on key issues
December 2, 2024
MoveUP reached out to candidates running in the Cloverdale-Langley City federal by-election for their thoughts on important issues related to our members
A federal by-election has been called in the Cloverdale-Langley City by-election for December 16.
MoveUP has several hundred members who live in that federal riding. To support our members as they head to the polls, we reached out to candidates running in the riding (as of November 20) and asked them to respond to our questionnaire by the deadline of Friday, November 29.
The answers to our questions from each candidate is presented below without edits.
Q1. Canadian Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon recently ordered an end to work stoppages at Canada’s largest ports in British Columbia and Quebec, imposing final and binding arbitration on the parties. This fundamentally strips workers of their right to achieve an agreement through good faith bargaining. Do you support the use of back-to-work legislation to end work stoppages?
NDP candidate Vanessa Sharma
No, I do not support the use of back-to-work legislation to end work stoppages. Such legislation is a direct attack on the rights of workers to bargain collectively and stand up for what they deserve. Labour action is not just about wages—it’s about dignity, fairness, and respect. When governments impose back-to-work legislation, they undermine the trust that’s essential for meaningful negotiations. As your MP, I will push for stronger federal labour protections to ensure workers can negotiate without fear of being silenced by legislation. Workers deserve to be heard, and I will ensure their voices resonate in Parliament.
Liberal candidate Madison Fleischer
No response received by deadline.
Conservative candidate Tamara Jansen
No response received by deadline.
Green candidate Pat McCutcheon
The Green Party of Canada opposes the use of back-to-work legislation. It undermines workers’rights to negotiate with their employers, a core principle of labour rights.
Greens spoke out against the government’s intervention in a recent dispute at Canadian ports.That back-to-work order forced workers to return to their jobs without a fair resolution. We believe workers and employers should resolve disputes through negotiation. This reflects our commitment to workers’ rights and support for fair labour practices in Canada.
Q2. The rising cost of living has left millions of Canadians unavailable to access medication or receive dental care if they don’t have access to an employer-paid program. Do you support the expansion of the national pharmacare and dental care program to eventually cover all Canadians?
NDP candidate Vanessa Sharma
Absolutely. Healthcare is a fundamental human right, not a privilege for the few. No one should have to decide between putting food on the table or filling a prescription, nor should families have to forgo dental care because it’s unaffordable. I support the immediate and full implementation of a universal pharmacare and dental care program to ensure every Canadian, regardless of their income or employment status, has access to the care they need. I will fight to make sure this expansion is fully funded and accessible to all, because in a country as wealthy as Canada, no one should fall through the cracks of our healthcare system.
Liberal candidate Madison Fleischer
No response received by deadline.
Conservative candidate Tamara Jansen
No response received by deadline.
Green candidate Pat McCutcheon
Yes, the Green Party of Canada strongly supports the expansion of national pharmacare and dental care programs to cover all Canadians. Our policies emphasize that healthcare is a human right. For many years, we have called for a universal pharmacare program. No Canadian should have to choose between paying for groceries and taking essential medications. We also believe that Canada’s universal healthcare system should include dental care and mental health care. Lack of access to these services results in poorer outcomes for both individuals and communities as a whole.
Q3. Canadians deserve a clean environment to live in, for themselves and for their children. Climate change is affecting communities across Canada, and we are seeing more catastrophic events such as floods and wildfires as a result. How will you address our climate crisis and ensure big polluters pay for the damage they have done to our environment, while supporting workers working in those industries that have negative impacts on our climate?
NDP candidate Vanessa Sharma
The climate crisis is not a distant threat—it is here, and it is urgent. As your MP, I will advocate for policies that put accountability on the shoulders of big polluters while ensuring a just transition for workers and their families. This means enforcing stricter emissions regulations, implementing higher penalties for companies that violate environmental laws, and ending taxpayer-funded subsidies for oil and gas corporations. At the same time, I will champion investments in green energy, infrastructure, and innovation, creating thousands of good-paying jobs in renewable energy, retrofitting, and clean technology. Workers must not bear the burden of this transition alone. My plan will include robust retraining programs, financial support, and job guarantees to ensure no worker is left behind as we build a cleaner, more sustainable future.
Liberal candidate Madison Fleischer
No response received by deadline.
Conservative candidate Tamara Jansen
No response received by deadline.
Green candidate Pat McCutcheon
Addressing climate change doesn’t mean leaving workers behind. The Green Party of Canada is committed to a rapid and fair transition away from fossil fuels. Protecting jobs, families, and the environment is both necessary and achievable.
Our climate plan includes bold but practical steps to reduce carbon pollution. We would phase out fossil fuels and scale up renewable energy sources. We would launch a national building retrofit program. This program would lower energy costs for families, businesses, and public institutions like hospitals. It would also create thousands of well-paying jobs in the trades.
We are equally committed to holding big polluters accountable. Our strategy requires polluters to pay for environmental damages. We would also eliminate fossil fuel subsidies. These actions would generate the revenue needed to invest in a fair transition for workers. This includes retraining programs, new job opportunities in the green economy, and support for communities. We’ll leave no one behind as we build for the future.
Q4. One job should be enough for an individual to afford to have a good quality of life and take care of their loved ones. However, many Canadians find themselves having work multiple jobs just to make ends meet. In Metro Vancouver the living wage is over $27 an hour, while the federal minimum wage is just over $17 an hour. Do you support raising the federal minimum wage to a level that closes the significant gap to the living wage?
NDP candidate Vanessa Sharma
Yes, I fully support raising the federal minimum wage to align with the living wage. Far too many Canadians are working full-time yet struggling to keep up with rent, groceries, and childcare costs. One job should be enough to support a family and provide a good quality of life. In Metro Vancouver, where the cost of living is among the highest in the country, we cannot accept poverty wages. As your MP, I will fight for a federal minimum wage that reflects the real cost of living, advocate for indexation to inflation, and work with provincial governments to raise standards for all workers. Economic justice is the foundation of a fair society, and I will make it my mission to deliver it.
Liberal candidate Madison Fleischer
No response received by deadline.
Conservative candidate Tamara Jansen
No response received by deadline.
Green candidate Pat McCutcheon
The Green Party would support raising the federal minimum wage to a level that allows individuals working full-time to earn a living wage. No one should have to work multiple jobs just to survive.
We also want to help families by increasing the Canada Child Tax Benefit. We would increase access to Employment Insurance for different types of workers. And we support the creation of a Guaranteed Livable Income to ensure all Canadians have a basic financial safety net.
To reduce income inequality, we propose maximum compensation policies. This would limit how much top executives can earn compared to other workers. For example, the highest-paid people in a company couldn’t make more than ten times what the lowest-paid workers earn.
Our goal is simple: an economy that works for ordinary people, not billionaires. By creating fairer economic policies, we can build a stronger, more just Canada for everyone.
Q5. Canadians take pride in having an inclusive and just society. However, we are seeing a rise in extremism and increasing attacks on public health officials, attacks women’s access to healthcare, anti-2SLGBTQIA+ sentiment, and overt racism. How will you advocate for the rights of women and those belonging to marginalized communities, to ensure everybody feels supported and safe in our communities?
NDP candidate Vanessa Sharma
Everyone deserves to feel safe, valued, and empowered in their community. Yet, for many women and marginalized people, systemic barriers continue to stand in the way of equality. As a proud Fijian and Nepali woman of colour, I know these challenges firsthand. I will advocate for robust hate crime legislation, increased funding for community organizations, and stronger enforcement of workplace protections against harassment and discrimination. I will also fight to protect reproductive rights, improve access to mental health services, and invest in affordable housing for vulnerable populations.
Moreover, I will champion education programs that promote equity, diversity, and inclusion, ensuring our schools and workplaces are safe spaces for everyone. Representation matters, and as your MP, I will use my voice to amplify the stories and struggles of those who have been silenced for too long. Together, we will build a Canada where everyone—regardless of race, gender, or background—can thrive.
Liberal candidate Madison Fleischer
No response received by deadline.
Conservative candidate Tamara Jansen
No response received by deadline.
Green candidate Pat McCutcheon
We know from history that in times of economic hardship, extremism, hate, and discrimination grow. It is important that we call out and push back against those who manipulate people’s fears
to cause division or scapegoat marginalized groups for political gain.
Overt racism is deplorable, and it’s important that we pay attention and take action when it’s on the rise. At the same time, we need to understand the far-reaching effects of systemic racism. Systemic racism happens when the rules and systems in our society are set up in ways that make life much harder for some groups of people. This kind of racism is deeply rooted in Canada’s institutions but often goes unrecognized. The Green Party is committed to addressing systemic racism. We will begin by implementing the Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Calls for Justice from the MMIWG report.
Women’s rights are workers’ rights. The Green Party will fiercely defend women’s right to choose and access to reproductive healthcare. We will also continue to work to end gender-based violence and discrimination. This means stronger legal protections, better workplace policies, and more support for survivors.
Greens believe everyone should feel safe being themselves, both in their community and at work. For 2SLGBTQIA+ Canadians, we’ll fight to strengthen hate crime laws. We’ll also work to stamp out harmful practices like conversion therapy, which continues to exist in spite of a 2022 federal ban.
Click here for Elections Canada info on the Cloverdale-Langley City by-election
