Four federal candidates face off in election debate

Craig Bakay | Oct 03, 2019

In his summation in Monday night’s debate at Oso Hall in Sharbot Lake, Conservative candidate and six-time MP Scott Reid observed: “There were some questions I’ve never heard before.”

Indeed there were as Reid debated election rookies Stephen Kotze of the Green Party, Kayley Kennedy of the Liberal Party and Satinka Schilling of the NDP.

There were the tried and true standards such as ‘what are your top three priorities heading into this election’ as well as senate reform and taxing the rich, but the conversation was also steered towards rural transportation, Israel’s treatment of Palestinians and a proposal to expropriate a GM plant in Oshawa to build ‘green’ cars.

NDP candidate Schilling said she related to the rural transportation issue, as she remembered having to bike 12 kilometres to work.

“There is a need and those are the people I need to represent in government,” she said.

Green candidate Kotze said: “It’s a huge challenge for us (but) we feel there’s a role for the federal government to support it. Transportation is a huge contributor to climate issues.”

“It would be something I would advocate for,” said Liberal candidate Kennedy.

“By definition, what makes rural different from urban is that rural people are more spread out,” said Conservative candidate Reid. “I don’t know if there is an easy solution but I do know know that transportation is at the heart of many struggles for rural people.”

One of the more interesting questions was directed at Reid. “How many times have you voted against your party?”

Reid responded that his colleague, Conservative MP Michael Chong was at the top in that category having voted with his party 96 per cent of the time, “So, I’m above that number.”

Reid said he’s held nine ‘referendums’ asking constituents which way he should vote and cite three times he’s voted against his party based on those results — legalizing marijuana, same-sex marriage and reopening the abortion debate.

When the other candidates were given the option of commenting, Schilling said: “there’s a saying in the NDP — you vote your conscience.”

“The Green Party is the only party that does not have a party Whip (a person designated to ensure MPs are present for votes and aware of the party position),” said Kotze.

Kennedy opted for a slightly different approach (and got the biggest laugh of the evening) when she said: “Scott’s been the MP since I was six years old — we need to change that.”

Reid’s finances also came into question when it was pointed out that his campaign is one of the most solvent in the election.

“Yes, my riding association is the the third best funded,” he said. “The top funded is Justin Trudeau’s and the second is in Calgary.

“We’re just very frugal and good at housekeeping. I was outspent by my Liberal opponents in the last two elections.”

On the question of electoral reform, Kennedy attempted to defend her party saying: “yes, it was in our electoral platform.

“We made an effort but partisanship got in the way, (and) there was no consensus on the system to be used (but) I’ll continue to advocate for it.”

Reid, however, who was on the Parliamentary Committee looking at electoral reform, placed the blame directly on the Prime Minister.

“The Committee agreed there should be a referendum on the subject,” Reid said. “And everybody who wanted change wanted some form of proportional representation.

“But Justin Trudeau wanted a preferential system.

“He did come clean and admit that he lied about electoral reform being in place for this election though.”

“Trudeau doesn’t want electoral reform,” said Schilling. “He got 39 per cent of the vote and a 54 per cent majority.

“The NDP is committed to proportional representation and would lie to lower the voting age to 16.”

“The Green Party strongly favours electoral reform,” said Kotze.

Please note - there is an all candidates meeting scheduled for the Verona Lions Hall on October 9, starting at 7pm