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With one major party candidate conspicuous by his absence, six Ottawa South contenders slugged it out Thursday at the riding’s only all-candidates meeting of the federal election campaign.
Conservative Dev Balkissoon sent his regrets early Wednesday via his campaign manager.
Knocking on doors had priority, said Balkissoon, joining a Conservative party pattern of candidates shying away from debating their opponents before audiences of voters.
With an apparent mix of fair play and Pythonesque humour, organizers thought it fitting that the absent candidate be represented in some form so stood a Balkissoon sign on an easel at the end of the contenders’ table.
Election 2015: Ottawa South
The Conservative, NDP, Progressive Canadian, Green, Libertarian and Communist candidates are challenging incumbent Liberal David McGuinty in a traditionally red stronghold — red in the Liberal sense, not Communist. Questions ranged from the environment, transportation, tax evasion, government transparency, health care, mental health and the political engagement of young voters and women.
NDP George Brown opened his two-minute opening statement calling Balkissoon’s non-attendance “unacceptable.”
McGuinty, initially avoided a question about tax evasion before promising that the Liberals will track down wealthy corporate and individual tax dodgers.
Liberals would also make tax forms easier to understand for regular non-evading taxpayers, he said.
NDPer George Brown said tax-evading corporations are banking billions that should be re-invested in the economy to create jobs.
“We will give CRA the staff they need to do their job,” he pledged.
Communist candidate Larry Wasslen, a retired registered nurse and union organizer, took a harder line.
“Tax evaders are stealing money from the people for Canada and they should be punished,” he said.
Brown had his party ducks in a row with his response to a question about alleviating poverty citing the NDP’s pledge to drastically reduce day care costs and, at the other end of the age scale, boosting benefits for seniors.
The Conservatives campaigned on accountability and transparency and then did the opposite, according to a question from a local community association.
What are the parties going to do about it?
The NDP will protect public service whistle blowers and end political partisan government appointments, said Brown.
Communist Wasslen advocated an end to the past-the-post electoral system and its replacement with proportional representation.
Liberals have a multi-point plan on transparency that includes Question Period reform, free votes on government bills and a fully independent House of Commons budget officer, said McGuinty.
And on transport?
For those catching airplanes, McGuinty and Brown promised to push for an extension of Ottawa light rail to the airport.
There’s an easier route, said Wasslen to the biggest laugh of the evening. “Communists believe in bicycles.”
ccobb@ottawacitizen.com
twitter.com/chrisicobb
查看原文...
Conservative Dev Balkissoon sent his regrets early Wednesday via his campaign manager.
Knocking on doors had priority, said Balkissoon, joining a Conservative party pattern of candidates shying away from debating their opponents before audiences of voters.
With an apparent mix of fair play and Pythonesque humour, organizers thought it fitting that the absent candidate be represented in some form so stood a Balkissoon sign on an easel at the end of the contenders’ table.
Election 2015: Ottawa South
The Conservative, NDP, Progressive Canadian, Green, Libertarian and Communist candidates are challenging incumbent Liberal David McGuinty in a traditionally red stronghold — red in the Liberal sense, not Communist. Questions ranged from the environment, transportation, tax evasion, government transparency, health care, mental health and the political engagement of young voters and women.
NDP George Brown opened his two-minute opening statement calling Balkissoon’s non-attendance “unacceptable.”
McGuinty, initially avoided a question about tax evasion before promising that the Liberals will track down wealthy corporate and individual tax dodgers.
Liberals would also make tax forms easier to understand for regular non-evading taxpayers, he said.NDPer George Brown said tax-evading corporations are banking billions that should be re-invested in the economy to create jobs.
“We will give CRA the staff they need to do their job,” he pledged.
Communist candidate Larry Wasslen, a retired registered nurse and union organizer, took a harder line.
“Tax evaders are stealing money from the people for Canada and they should be punished,” he said.
Brown had his party ducks in a row with his response to a question about alleviating poverty citing the NDP’s pledge to drastically reduce day care costs and, at the other end of the age scale, boosting benefits for seniors.
The Conservatives campaigned on accountability and transparency and then did the opposite, according to a question from a local community association.
What are the parties going to do about it?
The NDP will protect public service whistle blowers and end political partisan government appointments, said Brown.
Communist Wasslen advocated an end to the past-the-post electoral system and its replacement with proportional representation.
Liberals have a multi-point plan on transparency that includes Question Period reform, free votes on government bills and a fully independent House of Commons budget officer, said McGuinty.
And on transport?
For those catching airplanes, McGuinty and Brown promised to push for an extension of Ottawa light rail to the airport.
There’s an easier route, said Wasslen to the biggest laugh of the evening. “Communists believe in bicycles.”
ccobb@ottawacitizen.com
twitter.com/chrisicobb
查看原文...
