Plenty of common ground in Tory leadership debate
Carbon taxes and the province’s sex-ed curriculum dominated a televised debate Thursday for the four Ontario Progressive Conservative candidates vying to replace Patrick Brown.
TVO moderator Steve Paikin led the group through an hour’s worth of lively questions, finding some differences, but a lot more common ground.
All four candidates — Caroline Mulroney, Doug Ford, Christine Elliott and Tanya Granic Allen — were opposed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s mandated carbon pricing.
“Justin Trudeau doesn’t tell us what to do in Ontario on everything, much as he might like to think he does,” Elliott said.
Ford said that, unlike some of his competitors, he didn’t have to survey the party ’s grassroots members to know that a carbon tax was not on.
“I wasn’t flipping, I wasn’t hemming and hawing,” he said.
“I’m dead set against the carbon tax.”
Granic Allen, who battled against the “radical” sexual education curriculum
brought in under Premier Kathleen Wynne’s government, said she would bring changes to the province’s education system, starting with a repeal of key parts of that curriculum.
“Maybe they could focus a bit more on math if they weren’t talking about anal sex in the classroom,” Granic Allen said.
Mulroney said she also shares concerns that the sex-ed curriculum was brought in without adequate parental consultation, but she was the only leadership candidate who said she wouldn’t withdraw or alter it.
All four candidates said they would delay the planned implementation of the $15-per-hour minimum wage until the economy could handle the increase in labour costs.
Liberal MPP Deb Matthews said in a statement that the Conservatives would put the province’s schools, hospitals and services at risk.
“Cuts to our schools, cuts to our hospitals, cuts to environmental protection,” Matthews said. “Nurses and teachers and PSWs and child-care workers losing their jobs. Roads in disrepair and desperately needed transit projects punted down the line.”
NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said in a statement the Tory leadership candidates talked about privatizing public services and didn’t offer any solutions to the problems of average Ontarians.
After the debate, the four laid out the qualities that made them different from their opponents.
“I’m Kathleen Wynne’s worst nightmare,” Mulroney said, emphasizing her business background.
“We don’t have time for a leader in training,” former MPP Elliott said.
Ford said he’s going to “sanitize” the party. The Tory party’s nomination process has come under harsh criticism, and Ford noted he’s the only one who has governing experience from his time as a Toronto councillor.
Granic Allen said she brings years of experience working with the grassroots of the party.
On famous last names:
“I may not be a drama teacher and I don’t have a famous last name, but I can tell you … I am ready for this job,” Granic Allen said.
On experience:
“I know Kathleen Wynne. I’ve debated against her before,” Elliot said.
On no experience in political office:
“They don’t want a career politician,” Mulroney said.
On selling alcohol and cannabis:
“I don’t like the government having a monopoly on any business,” Ford said.
On finding revenue to pay for election promises:
“They’ve created a culture of waste at Queen’s Park, so we’ve got to stop that,” Mulroney said. On faith-based school funding:
“I think it’s pretty clear that people don’t want that,” Elliott said. On carbon tax:
“People are sick and tired of being taxed, taxed, taxed.… They’re getting gouged at the gas pumps,” Ford said.
On health care:
“Health care I don’t want to touch.… As a Christian, as you brought up before, I do believe in that adage, I am my brother’s keeper,” Granic Allen said.