Steven Cotter; photo from Steven Cotter for Central Nova CPC Facebook page.
The Conservative candidate in Central Nova, Steven Cotter, says healthcare is the big issue that comes up over and over again when he talks to people.
While he doesn’t want to see taxes go up, Cotter acknowledges that we need more doctors in Nova Scotia and the money has to come from somewhere.
A conservative government would double the annual growth rate of federal health transfers to provinces from three per cent to six per cent, Cotter says.
While the Conservatives would invest more in healthcare, he also says the Conservative party would balance the budget — over the course of ten years.
He’s not comfortable with the idea of leaving debt to the next generation, he says.
“I don’t want [to leave] the burden of what the budget is now, and how the spending’s gone without check, to my daughter, my son and their children,” Cotter says.
Canada’s federal budget deficit for the fiscal year 2020/21 was $314 billion.
Cotter made headlines earlier this month after a series of negative social media posts about Muslims and immigrants surfaced.
He issued a formal apology, and remained on as the party’s candidate for Central Nova.
“I’m trying to learn more and more about different nationalities and religions and stuff like that there,” he said. “That’s going to be a learning curve.”
Cotter said he doesn’t remember making the posts, but he stands by his apology.
Cotter is a municipal councillor for the Town of Trenton and an active member of the Trenton Volunteer Fire Department.
