Debate about the economy dominated an early morning breakfast forum between federal candidates on Wednesday (Oct. 16).

Eleven of the 13 local candidates from Kelowna-Lake Country and Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola were present at the event.

READ MORE: Meet your Kelowna-Lake Country candidates

READ MORE: Meet your Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola candidates

A question regarding the mortgage stress test, a financial bar home buyers must pass to be approved for a mortgage, had two candidates in a back-and-forth argument.

Liberal candidate for Kelowna-Lake Country Stephen Fuhr said his party has no plans to eliminate the test.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e trying to help people get into homes; we害羞草研究所檙e not trying to get Canadians access to homes they can害羞草研究所檛 afford,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淲e have done a number of things to help Canadians get into houses 害羞草研究所� more than I have time to explain. The bottom line is: these policies are to help people keep more of their own money.害羞草研究所�

Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola害羞草研究所檚 Conservative candidate Dan Albas countered, saying the stress test is causing snags in the system that hinder the real estate market as a whole.

害羞草研究所淲hen you have a family that害羞草研究所檚 stuck in a rental in an apartment, where they害羞草研究所檙e paying more in rent than they would in a starter home, there害羞草研究所檚 a problem,害羞草研究所� said Albas.

Albas continued, saying this results in an issue that causes the 害羞草研究所渨hole market to freeze,害羞草研究所� where families that should be in starter homes can害羞草研究所檛 afford to move up due to the stress test and those homes remain unsold.

Fuhr retorted, calling the economy the most significant component affecting the real estate market in the Okanagan. He said under Conservative governments, the economy was 害羞草研究所渇latter than a pancake害羞草研究所� from 2008 through 2015 害羞草研究所� years after the recession ended.

害羞草研究所淭hese guys couldn害羞草研究所檛 grow the economy,害羞草研究所� he said, motioning towards Albas.

害羞草研究所淭hey can害羞草研究所檛. And now, they are going to pull $53 billion out of the economy. Who can grow the economy? Who can害羞草研究所檛? That害羞草研究所檚 the biggest single factor that will affect this problem.害羞草研究所�

Candidates for the two front-running parties again found themselves at odds against while discussing their respective platforms about the budget.

害羞草研究所淲e can害羞草研究所檛 spend more than what we have,害羞草研究所� said Kelowna-Lake Country Conservative candidate Tracy Gray, adding that her party will get back to balanced budgets within five years.

Gray said that involves cuts, not around core services, but instead cutting frivolous spending on unnecessary projects. As an example, Gray said a Conservative government wouldn害羞草研究所檛 send money to China to help them build roads.

Fuhr was quick to discredit the Conservative Party害羞草研究所檚 fiscal efforts saying 16 of the last 18 Conservative budgets were deficits.

Deficit spending is required, according to Fuhr, due to the ever-progressing technologies that bring new challenges to the economy.

害羞草研究所淒igital economy, artificial intelligence, automation 害羞草研究所� we害羞草研究所檝e got to make sure we害羞草研究所檙e prepared for that. That requires investment. I would say we can害羞草研究所檛 afford not to invest in those things,害羞草研究所� he said.

Fuhr said to look at Ontario害羞草研究所檚 spending cuts under its provincial Conservative government, as much of the same should be expected under the federal Conservatives.

害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 exactly what you害羞草研究所檒l get from a Scheer government if they get hold of Canada,害羞草研究所� Fuhr said.

Gray said Ontario害羞草研究所檚 situation was caused by irresponsible Liberal governments, saying that Conservatives needed to 害羞草研究所渇ix the house.害羞草研究所�

michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
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