THUNDER BAY — A packed room of farmers put their questions to Liberal, NDP and PPC candidates on Thursday.
Conservative and Green party candidates did not attend the federal candidates forum at the 2025 Spring Farm Conference at Fort William Historical Park.
“I think you can really see a dedication and a concern for the agriculture industry by who is available and made themselves available to be here today,” said Jason Reid, a Thunder Bay Soil and Crop Improvement Association director.
All candidates from both Thunder Bay ridings were invited to the forum, said Reid.
“I think often the issues facing local agriculture get missed in the shuffle of the industry here in Thunder Bay. We are sort of a sideline quiet industry that you don’t see every day, but an integral part of the economic driver to the Thunder Bay district,” said Reid.
“And so important for the candidates running to know that this agriculture industry driver to our economy is here and to have them discuss the issues that are affecting us here.”
Many farmers in the region are shifting to grain, said one beef farmer, he asked the candidates whether Thunder Bay would rebuild its port.
“We’re going to continue to work with the Port Authority. Obviously, we can only move at the speed that the port is able to move at, but my job is to understand from you where those specific investments need to be made,” said Patty Hajdu, the incumbent Liberal candidate in Thunder Bay-Superior North.
She added that the Port Authority is also a huge partner in ensuring that Canadian trade corridors are diversified and that the port would more than likely be a great candidate for some of $5 billion promised for improving trade infrastructure announced by Liberal leader Mark Carney.
While the provincial government also needs to be involved in those discussions, said NDP candidate Joy Wakefield, the NDP is also committed to diversifying trade, including interprovincial trade.
“I think that’s a great suggestion in terms of building up infrastructure. We see a lot of aging infrastructure around and so the NDP wants to make investments in those and to increase transportation,” said Wakefield.
“And we’ve seen provincially that Lise (Vaugeois) for the NDP has really fought for road safety and transportation issues and that’s something that we’re going to bring to the federal table as well.”
Amos Bradley, the Peoples Party of Canada (PPC) candidate for Thunder Bay-Superior North, was present, but did not respond to any questions.
Local farmers also raised concerns regarding the cost and pressure placed on them by the long-term plan with the carbon tax.
Sabrina Ree, PPC candidate for Thunder Bay-Rainy River, said they are willing to scrap the carbon tax completely.
“The states, our biggest trading partner, they don’t have a carbon tax, so that actually puts us at a disadvantage, just paying more,” said Ree.
“And our neighbours across the way don’t pay any carbon tax. As a matter of fact, where is the climate emergency? You know, we don’t actually have concrete evidence of that. That’s why we want to pull out of this climate accord agenda.”
She said the PPC is the only party that will not promote the Paris Accords.
“We’ve all seen the change in the climate and to not to deny that and say that it’s not impacting our families, our businesses, our land, our waters (and) our air," said Yuk-Sem Won, NDP candidate for the riding.
However, she said, ending the consumer portion of the carbon tax completely is something that they are advocating for.
"I said is that these changes are coming and we have to address them before it’s too late, so to impose the industrial carbon tax on the biggest polluters should be the focus and not on the people and the small businesses that are there.”
She said the NDP would ensure that can get support in the transition to a green economy, to help with home heating bills and those kinds of changes.
“The carbon tax as we know it is gone. It’s history. We don’t have to worry about it. We could argue whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing, but it’s over now. I think the other thing we probably want to acknowledge is that climate change is real. That climate change is affecting us,” said Marcus Powlowski, the Liberal candidate for Thunder Bay-Rainy River.
Powlowski said it also certainly affects farmers, whether it’s in droughts or flooding and it’s becoming increasingly hard to get insurance because of the risks being that high, so it’s really in the country’s financial best interest that the government addresses climate change.
Some of the other issues raised at the forum included farming regulations and federal financing.
