The five federal leaders took part Thursday night in the third and last, and only English-language debate of the election, with plenty of lively moments, zingers and interruptions.The debate was moderated by Shachi Kurl, president of the Angus Reid Institute; and questions were also asked by undecided voters and various journalists.
Some highlights:
• NDP leader Jagmeet Singh stated his core position that billionaires should pay their "fair share" in taxes. "Put the burden on those at the top," he said.
• Asked for the third time to justify calling an election during the fourth wave of a pandemic, Liberal leader Justin Trudeau said Canadians would be hearing radically different ideas, and important decisions will be made and Canadians should decide who makes them. "We have to build back better," he added, invoking President Joe Biden's oft-repeated catchphrase.
• Bloc Québeecois leader Yves-Francois Blanchet took offence to the moderator's contention that the religious symbols law Bill 21 and the proposed new language law Bill 96 are discriminatory. "The laws are not about discrimination, but about the values of Quebec," he said. "Parliament recognized that Quebec is a nation with 281 votes."
• Green Party leader Annamie Paul was asked how she can lead a country in light of the internal strife in her own party. "Being who I am in this position has been hard," she said. "I've had to crawl over broken glass."
• Conservative leader Erin O'Toole was asked if he or his caucus would be in charge should he be elected, in light of policy differences beween them — O'Toole said he would be in charge. "I am driving the bus to get the country back on track," he added. "I will defend the rights of all Canadians."
• Paul confronted Trudeau on his claim of being a feminist, in light of women in his party being expelled from caucus or departing acrimoniously. "I won't take lessons on caucus management from you," Trudeau shot back.
• O'Toole, Paul, Blanchet and Singh agreed that Trudeau should not have called an election while Afghanistan was falling to the Taliban, and with Canadians and those helping the Armed forces not being evacuated sooner. Trudeau took that as insulting those involved on the ground in getting people out. Paul said Canadian were getting better information on their smartphones than Trudeau did from his sources.
• O'Toole criticized Trudeau for not sufficiently pressuring China regarding the imprisonment by them of the two Michaels and other issues. "Canada's voice has been strong and we've been holding them to account," Trudeau said. "Canada's voice has been absent, you didn't stand up for human rights," O'Toole said. "You do not simply lob tomatoes across the Pacific," Trudeau responded.
• Paul offered to educate Blanchet on systemic discrimination. "That is an insult," Blanchet responded.
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September 10, 2021 at 10:15AM
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Federal leaders engage in lively English debate | City News | thesuburban.com - The Suburban Newspaper
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