Around 50 people gathered at the Perkins Centre on Tuesday evening to hear what the federal political parties have to say on affordable housing during a discussion organized by the Hamilton is Home affordable housing coalition.
Green Party representative Sandy Crawley (Hamilton Centre), Liberal representative Lisa Hepfner (Hamilton Mountain), and Monique Taylor (Hamilton Mountain) all spoke about the need to build more housing across the affordability spectrum during the 90-minute event.
I live-posted during the event on my Bluesky account here: https://bsky.app/profile/joeycoleman.ca/post/3lmv7grsxoc2x
Each candidate began by outlining their party’s housing platforms and committed to working with Hamilton’s affordable housing providers to secure federal funding for their projects.
Crawley expressed his respect for NDP incumbent Matthew Green, noting that they both live in the same neighbourhood within the riding.
Taylor spoke about how things get achieved when people work together, citing coalitions she’s been involved with.
Hepfner praised Hamilton’s affordable housing providers for creating their coalition and working together.
Retiring Liberal MP Filomena Tassi’s work advocating on behalf of the Hamilton is Home coalition was noted many times.
Candidates were asked how they would work with other parties to advance Hamilton’s priorities. The question is especially relevant now that Tassi has retired because she routinely brought together all Hamilton MPs and maintained good relationships with Conservative MP Dan Muys and NDP MP Matthew Green.
Taylor stated that the NDP secured new programs, such as dental care, as part of the supply and confidence agreement with the Liberal government, crediting the Liberals for doing the work to implement the agreement.
What followed was the one moment of audience reaction.
Hepfner began her answer to how she would work with others by saying she was “glad” Taylor said the “Liberals did the work,” saying that it is the Liberals who do the work – implying the others do not.
Across the audience, people shook their heads, and there was at least one subdued jeer.
What had been a mostly collegial event suddenly felt partisan. Crawley spoke next and quickly restored the friendly cooperative tone.
Taylor would deliver one of her lines against Hepfner later in the debate when discussing how she expanded her home to house multiple generations of her family, saying, “I actually live here,” referencing that Hepfner does not.
Closing remarks from Crawley, Hepfner, and Taylor focused on committing to work on housing issues if elected.
The event organizers noted that it was put together on short notice and said they understood why the Conservatives could not send a representative within their timelines.
Election day is April 28.
Production Details
v. 1.0.0
Published: April 16, 2025
Last updated: April 16, 2025
Author: Joey Coleman
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v. 1.0.0 original version
It was the same in the recent Ontario election when conservative candidates did not show up for debates or media interviews. If they won’t share their policies they should not get our vote