Andrew Scheer, Conservative Party of Canada

Personal details. Name, age, hometown

Andrew Scheer, 40, Ottawa/Regina.

Tell us about yourself

(No answer provided)

What’s a little-known fact about you?

My first job was selling popcorn at hockey and football games growing up (and now I’m addicted to popcorn! Theatre-styled is my favourite).

Why should voters hire you?

I’m a hard-working father of five from Regina. I grew up watching my parents make tough decisions to get ahead and provide for their children. Now as leader of Canada’s Conservatives, I have a plan to put more money in your pockets so you can build the life you dream of.

Who should we call for a reference?

I’ve had the privilege of getting to know thousands of constituents while working on their case files. Any one of them would be a great place to start.

What is your greatest strength? What is your greatest weakness?

Strength: I ensure that I hear all points of view before making a decision. Weakness: Replying to text messages.

Where do you stand on:

Gun laws? Conservatives have a plan to keep Canadians safe from gun and gang crime. We believe that we must take a thoughtful, serious approach to this issue and pursue measures that actually reduce crime.

While Justin Trudeau and his Liberal government have completely failed to address gun and gang violence in Canada, I have a plan that will stand up for law-abiding firearms owners like farmers and hunters while cracking down on the real criminals.

Asking law-abiding citizens to follow more laws is lazy Liberal politics. We take Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders’ comments to heart when he said, “In recent years we have seen that 80 per cent of the firearms are coming in from the border,” and, “By and large (shootings) have street gang connotations to them or are street gang-related.”

It is with these comments in mind that we released a three-pronged strategy for dealing with gun and gang crime: Cracking down on gangs, gun laws that target criminals, and equipping police.

These include measures like reverse onus bail for gang members, listing criminal organizations in the Criminal Code, and tough new mandatory prison sentences for those who possess a smuggled firearm.

You can read our full plan at https://www.conservative.ca/safer-canada/

The need for more pipelines? Justin Trudeau uses Canada’s energy sector to divide Canadians and pit provinces against each other. As Canadians, we need to start dreaming big again, and we need to start dreaming together. We need to start building a stronger, more united country worthy of those who came before us and that our children and grandchildren deserve. I know that Canada’s natural resources can and will unite Canadians by creating shared prosperity not only here at home in Saskatchewan, but across the entire country.  That’s why as prime minister I will loudly and proudly champion our energy sector on the world stage, create a strong economy where big, nation-building projects can get built again, and construct a National Energy Corridor to carry Canadian energy and resources from coast to coast. The world needs more Canadian energy, and Saskatchewan has a big role to play in making that a reality.

Western alienation? It seems like every time there is a Trudeau in office, our country’s unity begins to fracture. Justin Trudeau has run all over Western Canada with his reckless policies. He has attacked Canada’s energy workers and put thousands of jobs at risk.

I am proud to call Saskatchewan home. I will stand up for Western Canada and work to get our economies back on track.

China? What should our approach be with some of our markets blocked? Justin Trudeau has done nothing to stand up for our interests on the world stage. Beijing has illegally detained two Canadian citizens and they have shut down Canadian meat, canola seed, and soy products with no evidence or rationale.

A Conservative Government will stand up for Canadians by:

— Immediately withdrawing Canada’s $256 million from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank;

— Increasing inspections on all Chinese imports; and,

— Starting to examine possible retaliatory tariffs on Chinese imports that will have the greatest possible impact while minimizing harm to Canadian consumers.

Are we facing a climate change crisis? Is carbon tax the answer? Climate change is a real and pressing threat, which is why the Conservatives unveiled the most comprehensive environment plan ever put together by an opposition party. Our plan takes the fight against climate change global, prioritizes technology not taxes, and puts money back into the pockets of families through a new Green Home Renovations Tax Credit.

Justin Trudeau’s carbon tax has been proven to fail, and Canada is falling farther and farther behind our Paris targets. All Justin Trudeau’s carbon tax does is punish farmers, commuters, and moms and dads driving their kids to hockey practice.

A Conservative government would scrap the Trudeau Liberal carbon tax.

It’s a day off and you can do anything you want. What would it be?

Make breakfast for the family, backyard sports with the kids, and a Rider game in the evening.

Who inspires you?

My mom is my hero. She worked so hard all her life and always put others before herself.

What is your hidden talent?

A lot of people don’t know this, but I make a killer apple pie! (I’ve even won first place at the Abernethy Fair)

What do you wish you could do but can’t?

I wish I could play the piano.

Who are the three people, dead or alive, that you’d love to have dinner with?

Matt Groening (creator of The Simpsons), Margaret Thatcher and Winston Churchill.

How do you take your coffee?

Black.

What’s the one album you’d take with you on a desert island? What embarrassing song do you admit to on your playlist?

The Smashing Pumpkins Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. Most embarrassing song: Pop Goes the World.

What is your guilty pleasure?

Theatre-style popcorn.

What is the last book you read?

I just finished rereading I, Claudius.

What is your favourite TV show? What are you binge watching?

Favorite Show: The Simpsons. Currently binge watching Game of Thrones. (My campaign team got me hooked!)

What is your all-time favourite movie?

Braveheart.