The three main candidates vying to capture Kenora-Rainy River riding in the Oct. 2 provincial election squared off in a debate here Friday night here—and as the two challengers found out, experience plays a key role.
Ontario NDP leader and incumbent MPP Howard Hampton, who has held the riding for 16 years, showed his political prowess during the debate as he used his experience to repel arguments from both the Liberal and PC candidates.
But the debate, which was scheduled to start at 7 p.m., almost didn’t happen at all.
PC candidate Cathe Hoszowski found out shortly before the debate was to begin that her oldest daughter, Ashleigh, had been in an accident outside the Civic Centre and had been taken to La Verendrye hospital.
After a roughly half-hour delay, agreed to by Hampton and Liberal candidate Geoff McClain, Hoszowski returned from the hospital with news that her daughter only had suffered a minor concussion and the debate began.
After making general opening statements, each candidate then was posed a question by four members of local media and one from the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce, which hosted the event.
The broad topics—chosen by the Chamber—ranged from natural resource management and economic diversification to public power and auto insurance.
Candidates received three minutes to answer each question and had one minute for rebuttal.
Though things began quite supinely, the debate reached a new fervor when a question on public versus private power generation and distribution was asked.
“We’ll keep public power public,” McClain told the nearly 50 people gathered in the town council chambers to watch the debate live. “Ontarians will buy power from a public supplier.
“Eves promised lower rates, more supply, and less debt,” he added. “He’s delivered higher rates, less supply, and more debt.”
McClain added an atmosphere of competition will be maintained under a Liberal government for private interests, and that the transmission line connection with Manitoba that was terminated by the former NDP government would be built.
“It [the termination of the Manitoba tie] cost Ontarians 1,000 megawatts of power,” argued McClain, adding it cost the NDP $150 million to cancel the project in the beginning and now you “pay for that on your hydro bill.”
“Read the speeches of your leader,” shot back Hampton when he got his turn to speak. “Unless this is another McGuinty flip-flop, he’s been the biggest hawk to de-regulation.”
“If the federal government will build the transmission line to Manitoba with Kyoto credits, it will be affordable,” Hampton added. “If not, it will be too expensive.
“It’s effectively been stopped,” continued Hampton, referring to privatization of the power system. “I decided three years ago to fight it. And we won, a judge agreed.
“We can still stop it [privatization],” he said, adding, “People shouldn’t be fooled—Progressive Conservatives and Liberals are committed to hydro privatization.”
Hoszowski steered clear from attacking the other two candidates, but also steered clear of answering the question related to privatization of the power supply, only suggesting she was focused on finding a northern solution.
She added she had met with several experts in Thunder Bay last month to develop a strategy for the north.
“We have a Northern Power Strategy together,” said Hoszowski, adding southern Ontario can look after itself. “We are developing a white paper on a Northwestern Ontario power strategy.
“My goal as your MPP, when they give me those marching orders, I’ll turn to [the appropriate minister] and make those cases,” she pledged.
The inexperience of the challengers became more apparent as each was asked a question relating to taxation.
Hoszowski, first to speak this time, was very vague about the details of her party’s campaign promises and the cost of its massive tax cuts.
She stressed the Tories’ plan to have a fifth-straight balanced budget and that they would balance tax cuts by reducing government spending. She produced a list that “was to long to cover in three minutes,” but invited anyone there to look at it after the debate.
McClain was next and though he started out much better stressing his party’s taxation platform, reading nearly verbatim from his notes, he stumbled bringing his point home.
“We will ensure balanced budgets,” he began. “We will not add to the debt or run a deficit. We can’t afford a tax cut right now.”
He added money was needed to bolster the failing education and health care systems, and that now was not the time for massive tax cuts. McClain also emphasized his party is the only one to have a independent review of its fiscal plans.
“Our plan is a fiscally responsible plan,” he said. “It’s validated by experts.”
Then he stumbled.
He began attacking the NDP record while they were in government (1990-95), pointing out the massive debt the party accumulated and that the party had raised taxes $4 billion while in power.
He then asked Hampton about the $6.1 billion in campaign promises he’d made. “Where will it come from?” he wondered.
“I’m glad you asked that question,” said Hampton, with a smile on his face.
Hampton went on to describe in detail where the excess money would come from, including the implementation of a new tax for higher income earners (three percent on anything over $100,000).
Hampton admitted to falling into that category. “I can afford to make a greater commitment,” he said.
He also pledged money would be put back into public schools by eliminating the private school tax credit.
“I think the majority of people in Ontario would rather see more money into health care than get a tax cut,” Hampton remarked. “[The Conservatives are] a government that says a tax cut is the solution to every problem.
“We don’t need that kind of government.”
In rebuttal, Hoszowski brought up the senior property tax credit the Tories have proposed. “The senior tax credit is very, very good for seniors,” she said.
“Some wealthy people in Toronto will benefit, as well,” she conceded, “but it’s also very important up here.”
“As a senior, you already get a property tax cut,” Hampton argued, explaining that it is a benefit you can receive on your income tax. “But it’s aimed at lower-income earners.
“The Progressive Conservative plan has no cap.”
On Friday afternoon, McClain had lunch with senior respite patients at La Verendrye hospital. They painted their own picture for him.
“Seniors said keep the money, “so you can invest it in vital services and our schools,” he countered when it became his turn.
He then continued his attacks on the other parties.
“The NDP and Conservatives have a record of mismanagement of the public purse,” McClain charged.
Though early on the crowd seemed to get behind Hoszowski, who had vowed not to get into the blame game and instead focus on northern issues “near and dear to her heart,” in the end, the crowd was clearly responding to what Hampton had to say.
More than once he was interrupted by an eruption of applause.
However, Hoszowski’s performance didn’t go unnoticed—even by long-time Hampton supporters.
“She did an amazing job,” local resident George Bartlett said of the way Hoszowski shook off the accident involving her daughter.
“I know it would have upset me,” he added. “It would have shook up most people. The way she could speak after that . . . she did good.”
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
