Opposition leaders target Harper’s economic record
Here’s an overview of the more lively themes raised in Thursday’s debate
CONSERVATIVES
Stephen Harper played defence as his rivals tried to pick apart his economic record. Harper’s opponents attacked him for leading a government that ran eight straight budgetary deficits through one recession and during an ongoing downturn that some believe is a second recession.
Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau accused Harper of giving tax breaks and benefits to the wealthiest Canadians. NDP Leader Tom Mulcair alleged that with Harper’s Tories in power, Canada lost 400,000 wellpaying manufacturing jobs and that there are now 200,000 more people unemployed than before the financial crisis hit in 2008.
But Harper stated that under his watch Canada had the strongest economic growth and created the most jobs of any G7 country since the depths of the 2008 recession.
And he levelled some sharp attacks of his own, for instance accusing the NDP of stoking talk of Quebec separatism solely because of separatist elements within its own ranks.
LIBERALS
Justin Trudeau was keen to shed the charge that he’s not ready to lead the country. He repeatedly challenged Harper’s facts, and attacked Mulcair’s plan for the economy.
Trudeau who earlier in the day invited media to watch him work out at a Toronto boxing gym, was scrappy and aggressive. Arguably, he had the most at stake in the first leaders’ debate: lagging in the polls, he needed to look capable of leading the country and representing it on the world stage.
Trudeau also turned his sights on NDP leader Tom Mulcair, saying the NDP pledge for a $ 15 federal minimum wage was “false hope” because it only applied to a handful of Canadians working in federally regulated environments like banks.
NDP
Tom Mulcair reminded Harper that in the 2008 election, he denied the country had slid into recession when in fact it was on the verge of the economic crisis and ran eight deficits.
“He’s added $ 150 billion to Canada’s debt in the last 10 years,” Mulcair said, also noting a flurry of government spending announcements just prior to the election call. “Honestly, Mr. Harper, we cannot afford another four years of you.”
Mulcair clashed with Trudeau over the federal Clarity Act, which says a vote of 50 per cent plus one vote is not enough in a Quebec sovereignty referendum. That triggered a three- way tussle.
Under attack by the Liberal leader, Mulcair retorted that he has spent his political life fighting against separatism.
“Mr. Trudeau has an obligation if he wants to talk about this subject to come clean with Canadians. What’s his number? What is your number? What is your number, Mr. Trudeau?”
Trudeau responded: “My number is nine. Nine supreme court justices said one vote is not enough to break up this country and yet that is Mr. Mulcair’s position.”
THE GREEN PARTY
Elizabeth May squarely accused Harper of leading Canada into recession twice during his tenure. She followed up by putting the prime minister on the defensive about his record on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The Green party considered the debate, sponsored by Maclean’s magazine, an important opportunity for May to capture the attention of voters. The Greens have been hovering between three and seven per cent in recent polls of voter intention, but the challenge will be translating that support into seats in Canada’s first-past thepost system.