Few attend lackluster St. Catharines riding debate (Ontario Provincial Election St. Catharines Riding)

https://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/news/niagara-region/2018/05/30/few-attend-lackluster-st-catharines-riding-debate.html

Few attend lackluster St. Catharines riding debate

By Grant LaFlecheSpectator Reporter

Wed., May 30, 2018timer2 min. read

updateArticle was updated Jun. 04, 2020

There were few fireworks during a sparsely attended all candidates debate for the provincial riding of St. Catharines Tuesday evening, with candidates hewing closely to scripted talking points and party platform planks.

About 50 people showed up to the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce hosted debate< at the St. Catharines Collegiate to listen to Liberal Jim Bradley, NDP candidate Jennie Stevens, PC hopeful Sandie Bellows, Green Party candidate Colin Ryrie, Communist candidate Saleh Waziruddin and Jim Fannon from the None of the Above Party.

Libertarian candidate Daniel Tisi and Cultural Action Party of Ontario candidate Duke Willis did not attend the debate.

Libertarian candidate Daniel Tisi and Cultural Action Party of Ontario candidate Duke Willis did not attend the debate.

The candidates were asked about the opioid crisis, affordable housing and health care among other issues.

Speaking mostly in generalities and not facing any cross-examination of their answers during the hour-long debate, the candidates rarely mentioned the focus of the provincial campaign - the party leaders. Bradley did not mention Liberal leader Kathleen Wynne, while Bellows and Stevens only referred to PC leader Doug Ford and NDP leader Andrea Horwath twice each and only in passing.

The candidates also largely avoided attacking the platform of their opponent's parties. Bradley, without mentioning the NDP or Tories, warned of the possible deleterious effects deep tax cuts would have on health care while Fannon urged voters to cast a ballot for anyone other than the three major parties.

Waziruddin got the most enthusiastic response from the small audience when he said the Tories' health care plan is like Donald Trump tax returns: "It might never be released."

The only direct interaction between candidates came after a question on health care when Bellows said the Tories had learned from past health care cuts made the last time they were in power and noted the "NDP made cuts too."

"Remember Tommy Douglas? He's the reason you get free hip replacements. We didn't cut," said Stevens, referring to late Saskatchewan premier and federal NDP leader who is considered the father of Canadian universal health care.

Voters to go to the polls on June 7.