Markham
October 09, 2008 10:14 PM
By: Simone Joseph
Candidates battled it out at a Markham-Unionville all-candidates debate at Seneca College’s Markham campus Tuesday night.
In the ring were five candidates: Duncan Fletcher (Conservative), John McCallum (Liberal incumbent), Nadine Hawkins (NDP), Leonard Aitken (Green Party) and Allen Small (Libertarian Party).
About 50 people showed up to the debate Tuesday night.
Much of the debate was between Mr. McCallum and Mr. Fletcher.
As candidates from the two leading parties, these heavyweights wasted no opportunity to take jabs at each other, mostly criticizing past wrong-doings of their opponent’s predecessors and current colleagues.
The Conservatives are working hard on immigration-related issues, Mr. Fletcher said.
“The lineups (to get into the country) have grown with the previous Liberal government. We have taken steps to reduce this,” Mr. Fletcher said.
In his opening statement, Mr. Fletcher said you would think the NDP and Liberals only realized in the past few weeks the difficult situation the economy is in.
“In the last 1-1/2 years, the Conservatives said this (economic downfall) was coming,”
Mr. Fletcher went on to criticize Stephane Dion’s fiscal management, saying the Liberal leader has outstanding debts from the leadership race two years ago.
Mr. McCallum had his own punches prepared.
Voters are worried about their savings and their jobs, he said.
“With Stephen Harper, it is don’t worry, be happy. That is not enough.”
Mr. McCallum raised the importance of public transportation, pointing out that as MP, he has pushed his cabinet colleagues to move forward with phase one of Viva, York Region’s Rapid Transit System which runs on Hwy. 7 and Yonge Street. (Viva’s drivers are on strike.)
Other contenders jumped in the ring from time to time to get in their own jabs.
Mr. Aitken, in his opening remarks, said, “Good government sounds like an oxymoron.”
Ms Hawkins’ opening statement played on the NDP’s family-friendly image.
“Who will put you and your family first? Harper recklessly hands out $50 billion tax cuts,” she said.
Among the NDP’s initiatives?
Limit credit card fees and stopping excessive cellphone charges. Ms Hawkins said under the Conservative leadership, Canada has lost nearly 100 soldiers in the war effort in Afghanistan. Mr. McCallum supported the extension of this mission, she said.
Mr. Small answered several questions by asking if we want the government deciding how to spend our money.
Less government is best, let’s decrease the number of services and programs the government funds and leave it to individuals, charities and other groups to fill the gap was the message.