Voters in Kitimat and Kitamaat Village gathered April 15 at Mount Elizabeth Theatre to hear federal candidates share their views on energy development, affordability, and immigration鈥攖hree issues that dominated the evening鈥檚 discussion. The forum, organized by the Kitimat Chamber of Commerce and moderated by Thom Meier of the Kitimat Economic Development Association, revealed both overlapping concerns and contrasting ideas about how best to support communities in the region.
Three of the five candidates running in the Skeena鈥揃ulkley Valley race were in attendance: NDP incumbent Taylor Bachrach, Conservative candidate Ellis Ross, and Christian Heritage Party leader Rod Taylor. Liberal candidate Inderpal Dhillon and Green Party candidate Adeana Young did not participate.
Energy development rooted in community
Throughout the night, candidates consistently returned to the theme of economic development, particularly as it relates to Kitimat鈥檚 natural resource economy and the LNG sector. The trio agreed that Kitimat鈥檚 energy and industrial projects offer long-term potential, but they diverged on how best to manage that growth.
Ross, a former Haisla Nation chief councillor, highlighted the role of Indigenous leadership in bringing the LNG Canada project to the region.
鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 Canada or the government that brought LNG Canada to Kitimat,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was my band. It was the Haisla.鈥�
Bachrach emphasized the importance of balancing development with environmental standards, Indigenous consultation and long-term community benefit.
鈥淚f you鈥檙e looking for a fossil fuel lobbyist, I鈥檓 not your guy,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 going to stand up for communities.鈥�
Taylor criticized 鈥渞adical eco-lobbies鈥� for opposing development and said industry needs a regulatory environment it can trust.
鈥淲e need pipelines, we need transmission, and we need energy independence,鈥� he said. 鈥淓verything must be environmentally sound 鈥� that goes without saying, but businesses know what they're doing.鈥�
Shared urgency on affordability
All three participating candidates addressed the cost-of-living crisis, though they proposed sharply different solutions. Bachrach leaned heavily on recent NDP initiatives such as national dental and pharmacare and called for a windfall tax on large grocery chains.
鈥淗ousing shouldn鈥檛 be a financial asset,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t should be a basic human right for everyone in this country to have a roof over their head.鈥�
Ross and Taylor both blamed the federal carbon tax for driving up prices. Ross argued that the tax has a compounding effect through the supply chain, from farms to grocery store shelves.
鈥淚t affects so much,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he farmer gets taxed, then passes it on to the trucker, who then passes it on to the grocer who passes it onto you.鈥�
Taylor echoed Ross鈥檚 position and called the carbon tax 鈥渁 big lie,鈥� while proposing a 鈥淔air Tax鈥� that would eliminate income tax in favour of a consumption-based system. He also advocated banning foreign ownership of Canadian homes and land to relieve housing market pressure. Taylor added that Canada should not mirror U.S. tariffs with retaliatory measures, warning that such responses would only increase costs for Canadian consumers.
Immigration and labour needs
A question on immigration and changes to the temporary foreign worker policy opened up a wide-ranging discussion on the region鈥檚 labour challenges and broader immigration policy.
Ross credited foreign workers with helping keep Kitimat and Terrace functioning during times when local residents were unwilling to take low-paying jobs. He was clear in his support for immigration as a concept, but said the Liberal government's approach of increasing intake without addressing housing supply and infrastructure was unsustainable. He criticized existing barriers that prevent skilled immigrants 鈥� particularly doctors 鈥� from working in their trained professions, and said a Conservative government would introduce a straightforward system to allow qualified immigrants to begin work after passing appropriate tests.
Taylor, the son of immigrants, said Canada needs a merit-based immigration system that brings in people who can contribute to the country鈥檚 workforce. He argued against what he called 鈥渃harity-based鈥� immigration and said the real issue lies in Canada's failure to inspire young people to take up essential jobs. 鈥淲e need to find a way to incorporate them into a job market where they鈥檙e so desperately needed,鈥� he said, framing it as a patriotic responsibility.
He also raised concerns about border security, saying more attention was needed on issues of fentanyl and human smuggling flowing in both directions across the Canada鈥揢.S. border. 鈥淢r. Trump wasn鈥檛 wrong about our border,鈥� he said, suggesting that policies under previous Liberal and Conservative governments had failed to confront the full scope of the problem.
Taylor linked immigration, housing, and job market issues to a broader push for national independence. He said Canada must become more self-reliant鈥攏ot only in energy, but also in food production and interprovincial trade鈥攂y reducing dependence on foreign ownership and global supply chains. 鈥淢ake Canada great again,鈥� he said. He called for Canadian jobs for Canadian families, and policies that put the country first.
Bachrach praised the contributions of immigrants to Kitimat鈥檚 development and pushed back against scapegoating. He cited Prince Rupert, where some businesses depend on temporary foreign workers and international students for as much as 90 per cent of their workforce. He warned that the federal government鈥檚 decision to send many of these workers back would harm communities already facing labour shortages.
鈥淲e need to ensure these immigrants鈥� human rights are upheld,鈥� said Bachrach, drawing applause as he addressed temporary foreign workers鈥� rights. He said he had been working with chambers of commerce and business owners to raise the urgency of the matter with federal officials, and called for policies that protect workers from exploitation while ensuring they are respected and supported.
Climate and culture spark crowd questions
A mother, who identified herself as queer, of a transgender child asked the candidates to explain their understanding of sexual and gender identity.
Bachrach responded by affirming that trans people are people, and said the first step is recognizing their rights. He acknowledged that there is fear around the issue but said it is often misplaced, and noted that even traditionally conservative voters have shown openness when they hear real stories.
Ross said that while he supports the dignity of all individuals, he does not agree with trans women competing in female sports, citing safety concerns. He also expressed discomfort with policies that limit parental involvement in their children鈥檚 gender-related decisions, but added that the Haisla Nation has historically respected the complexity of identity and sexuality.
Taylor said he believes God created only male and female, and rejected the idea of multiple genders. He said girls and women need spaces of their own, free from what he referred to as biological males, including those who have undergone surgery. He said people with views like his are being bullied for their beliefs.
A 12-year-old then posed a pointed question to Ross and Bachrach about the carbon tax and oil lobbying, asking what they planned to do about the climate crisis.
Bachrach responded by identifying climate change as a clear and present threat, attributing it to the burning of fossil fuels. He said the science behind human-caused climate change is settled and called out the Conservative Party for what he described as a pattern of opposing emissions-reduction measures based on exaggerated claims about their economic impact. While acknowledging the importance of energy in Canadian life, Bachrach said renewable sources were being sidelined and argued that transitioning to green energy could bring significant economic and employment benefits.
Ross pushed back by defending LNG development as not only essential to Canada鈥檚 economy but also one of the cleanest fossil fuel options available. He highlighted the role of the Haisla Nation in fighting for high environmental standards within LNG projects, and warned that a rapid transition away from fossil fuels would risk destabilizing the economy and quality of life.
Taylor, who had not been asked the question directly, was invited to weigh in by the moderator. He affirmed that environmental protection was 鈥渢remendously very important鈥� to his party but insisted that carbon dioxide is not a pollutant but 鈥減lant food,鈥� disputing its role in climate change. He said other pollutants, such as chemicals in farming and untreated sewage, should be of greater concern, and claimed that many scientists disagree with the dominant climate change narrative.
Following the Kitimat event, forums were also held in Houston on April 16 and in 亚洲天堂 Lake on April 17. Only Taylor Bachrach and Rod Taylor attended the Houston event, while both were confirmed as of press time for the 亚洲天堂 Lake forum
