Debate
(8:00) TVO's Steve Paikin is moderating: Good evening, this is the second round of debates. I ask all the questions.
(8:01) Opening statements. Paul Martin is first. Jab at Harper's 'promise a day.'(8:02) Stephen Harper: Time for a new government that will work for ordinary Canadians.
(8:03) Gilles Duceppe: Martin and Harper are ignoring the real issues. Martin on the sponsorship scandal; Harper on Quebec interests.(8:04) Jack Layton: In 14 days you can make the NDP values a reality: vote NDP.
Question: Income trust leak. (8:06) Layton: Wants electoral reform. (8:07) Harper: Cost ordinary people a lot of money. (8:08) Martin: It's only an opposition allegation. (8:10) Duceppe: Goodale shouldn't have met with the investment community the same day as the IT announcement.Debate
Question: Harper you accused Martin of avoiding taxes / Martin you accused Harper of not loving Canada. Are personal attacks productive?
(8:11) Martin: Personal attacks are bad. (8:12) Harper: Merely pointed out Martin avoided paying taxes. (8:13) Duceppe: Martin fly's flags of convenience. (8:14) Layton: More women in Parliament would help set the tone. We have the most female candidates.Debate
Question for Harper: Doesn't history tell us the opposition runs on cleaning things up, but doesn't in the end. i.e. Won't live in Stornoway but did, MP pensions.
(8:14) Harper: Yes and no. We have the federal accountability act. (8:16) Duceppe: Who contributed to Harper's campaign. Did Conrad Black? (8:17) Layton: Harper's campaign is full of corporate lobbyists. (8:18) Martin: Not interested in the babble of the other leaders. Charter of Rights is really important. New Liberal Government would strengthen the Charter. (8:19) Harper: I never received any monies from Conrad Black and I have revealed my contributors.Debate
Question for Martin:: What do you say to people that feel you party should be punished?
(8:21) Martin: I'm sorry — It was a disgraceful period. I called in Judge Gomery. If people do wrong, they will pay for it. (8:23) Layton: It's not ok to break your promises all the time: Pharmacare / pollution. A third alternative exists: NDP. (8:24) Duceppe: I asked in the last debate (Vancouver) which candidates received monies? (8:25) Harper: Martin only called in Gomery after the AG rang the alarm bells. Touts the Federal Accountability Act. (8:26) Martin: What Harper and Duceppe said is not true. Gomery exonerated the Government.Debate
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper, Bloc Leader Gilles Duceppe. Liberal Leader Paul Martin and NDP Leader Jack Layton pose on the set prior to the English leaders' debate on Monday in Montreal. (Tom Hanson/CP)
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Second segment / Social responsibility:
Question for Harper: If the Conservatives were in power, would Canadians be safer? i.e. Mayerthorpe, boxing day shooting. (8:32) Harper: We will crack down on crime. Mandatory sentences — maybe some of these people (criminals) would be in jail, instead of on the streets. (8:33) Duceppe: Touts the crime proposals they introduced into Parliament. (8:34) Layton: Saddened by your examples. We don't use press conferences for publicity. (8:36) Martin: Agrees on tougher sentences. Big difference between Liberals and Conservatives: Liberals want to ban handguns. Toronto isn't Detroit.Debate
Question for Layton: Should the notwithstanding clause be used to protect social values? i.e. Swingers clubs.
(8:44) Layton: Doesn't answer the question. (8:45) Harper: Balance. (8:46) Martin: Slams Harper. Doesn't answer the question. (8:48) Duceppe: Something about principles and the people. (8:49) Layton: Needs of working families' need to be recognized.Debate
Question for Martin: Rich getting richer — what about the disconnect for ordinary Canadians?
(8:52) Martin: Redistribute to everyone via services. (8:53) Layton: Why did Martin & Harper support a $10-billion corporate tax cut? (8:54) Harper: Too many ordinary people aren't getting the benefit of our economy.Debate
Third segment.
Question for Martin: Agriculture. (9:02) Martin: Our farmers are efficient and competitive. However, they are being hammered by Americans. (9:03) Layton: A farmer has shown me his balance sheet. The Case program is wrong. (9:04) Harper: Case program is a disaster. Promises $500-million.Debate
Question for Layton: Name two things the NDP would want to approve the next governments budget?
(9:07) Layton: Doesn't answer the question. (9:08) Harper: Doesn't answer the question. (9:09) Martin: Staying out of deficit, reduce taxes. (9:10) Duceppe: Whatever is in the best interest of Quebecers.Debate
Question for Duceppe: Equalization. What happens if Quebec gets less?
(9:15) Duceppe: The best proposal has been made by Seguin. (9:16) Martin: Depends on the definition. Set up a federal panel on equalization. The three layers of government need to be able to work well together. (9:17) Harper: Surpluses all the time. Why the fiscal imbalance? (9:18) Layton: Equalization doesn't need to be complicated.Debate
Question for Harper: How would a tax cut build a bridge or a transit system?
(9:20) Harper: Reward people that use transit. i.e. public transit tax credit. (9:21) Duceppe: Provinces should be the ultimate decision maker on these things. (9:22) Layton: I was a city councilor. Vote NDP. (9:23) Martin: Doesn't answer the question. Wants Harper to respond.Debate
National unity.
Question for Duceppe: Same-sex marriage / Quebec. Why is it ok to leave the SSM debate alone (already dealt with) -- but keep revisiting separation? (9:25) Duceppe: Stumbles around. [This was a great question.] (9:26) Martin: Something about a 'Prime Ministers Responsibility.' (9:27) Harper: Touts Premier Charest. (9:28) Layton: I was born in Quebec. NDP is in tune with Quebec values.Debate
(9:31) The first fireworks of the debate. Martin loves Quebec.
Question for Martin: Is the country so fragile that it can't survive a change in government? (9:33) Martin: His government has different values. (9:34) Layton: Liberal party is one of the biggest recruiters for the Bloc. (9:35) Duceppe: The Bloc is the only one representing Quebec's interests in Ottawa. (9:36) Harper: Quebecers need an alternative to national unity.Debate
Question for Harper: Would it be better if you won a majority v. a minority?
(9:41) Harper: Won't answer the question [smart.] Will accept whatever mandate the voters give him. (9:42) Duceppe: We will respect the choice of Canadians. (9:43) Layton: NDP not only wants a better Canada — were building it. Vote NDP. (9:44) Martin: Touts economic record. Oops, gets geography confused. Next mandate needs to be about what kind of Canada we are going to build.Debate
Question for Layton: Who would you rather deal with — Martin or Harper?
(9:48) Layton: Doesn't answer the question. (9:49) Martin: We keep our promises.Debate
Question for Layton: Can Canadians handle another two weeks of all this negative campaigning?
(9:50) Layton: Seniors deserve respect. (9:51) Harper: Liberals record is a valid topic of discussion. Federal Accountability Act. (9:52) Martin: Harper's child-care plan = dollar-a-day. (9:53) Duceppe: The biggest danger in Canada is not talking about corruption. Option Canada is a Federal scandal. Mulroney gets his first mention.Debate
Closing statements.
(9:54) Martin: Leave no one behind. National leadership. Values. Common good. Stronger together -- than alone. Thank you. (9:55) Harper: Federal Accountability Act. Reduce taxes. Crack down on crime. Help federalism in Quebec. Replace the government that is plagued by scandal. The best is yet to come. Stand up for Canada. (9:57) Layton: Thanks for watching. You have a third choice: today's NDP. The opportunity is here and now: Vote NDP. Put working families first. (9:58) Duceppe: Options Canada. In Quebec, people should vote for the Bloc. (9:59) Moderator: Good night from Montreal.