Hall Findlay makes a stop at WLU

With a very tight-knit set up located in Wilf’s last Thursday night at Wilfrid Laurier University, Martha Hall Findlay — one of the Liberal leadership candidates — made a stop on campus to greet a group of students looking to ask some questions. She is the second candidate to visit Wilf’s this month.

Liberals-in-Wilfs-Ryan-Hueglin
Martha Hall-Findlay, one of the candidates for the Liberal leadership, spoke to students at Wilf’s Thursday evening. (Photo by Ryan Hueglin)

Beginning her talk, she explained that within the Liberal Party, there has been “no substantive discussion about anything.”

A few of her concerns are that people are not aware of what the Liberal Party stands for, and that certain topics, such as the Middle East, have not been touched upon by the Liberal Party.

“It’s been a challenge,” she said.

According to Hall Findlay, there were many who asked her why she was running, and she answered simply by saying that she feels strongly

about our country, and that the NDP is not the right alternative.

“I want a party that understands me,” Hall Findlay explained.

Other important issues that were touched upon during the panel were supply chain management, foreign policy and the environment.Supply chain management is an issue in which Hall Findlay feels strongly about and has done a lot of work on.

According to her, we have less “leverage” because we constantly choose to protect supply chain management. Hall-Findlay explained that our markets should be open to global opportunities — one of them being the Trans-Pacific Partnership — and that

this opportunity will not be seized until we “get rid” of supply chain management.

In addition, this system is putting single-parent families and Aboriginal communities at a disadvantage by making them pay high prices for basic necessities such as dairy, poultry and eggs.

Nick Gibson, a volunteer for her campaign and Laurier student senator, told The Cord that Hall Findlay’s wide variety of experience in many fields such as business, law, politics and parenting, allows her to relate to a wide range of people.

He also believes that her boldness and courage is admirable and is an asset in forming evidence-based opinions. In terms of youth involvement, Hall Findlay attempts to attend to issues that are critical for all age groups.  There are certain topics that have become more relevant for students, such as  debt, jobs available in the workforce and taxes. She appeals to this generation because she is able to speak through these issues.

Being a mother and a teacher, Hall Findlay claimed to understand the struggle about the importance of education.

She believes that the gap between what is needed by employers and the skills that institutions are training students for should be shortened. Her campaign is wrapping up this weekend, and at this point there is not much work left but to ensure each candidate’s pool of voters. It has been a long and trying campaign, but Hall Findlay has remained excited and hopeful.

“It will be fascinating,” she concluded with regards to the nearing end of this election.

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