Vaughan-Woodbridge ‘not impressed’ by debate, feel the need to research more

No markedly different change in the voting course for these residents

Yorkregion.com
October 15, 2019
Dina Al-Shibeeb

No clear winner

Gurneet Kaur Dhami, 25, sees no “clear winner,” amid all the bickering and the shared “theme of avoiding” to directly answer questions during the national debate on Oct. 7.

After the debate, Dhami is now contemplating on whether to vote Green or the NDP, with the latter being the most likely choice especially that the former’s local candidate “isn’t approachable.”

All in all, after the debate Dhami, who has voted for the NDP in the 2015 election, feels she is left with more questions than answers.

Not only did she purchase a copy of the Toronto Star, a move she hasn’t done in a while, to read more about the election, but the debate “made me read more and research more.”

One example was how the Bloc Quebecois’s candidate Yves-Francois Blanchet told how Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau and Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer have shown two faces on Bill 21 when giving interviews in English and French.

'Pity vote'

Lucas Giovannetti, 23, wasn’t impressed by the debate.

If he is voting, he “might” give the Green Party a “pity vote” since Elizabeth May “reminds” him of the “sweet aunt I never had.”

“Out of all of the candidates, I was most impressed with May,” Giovannetti, who has voted Liberal last time, said. “She strikes me as a Canadian Bernie Sanders equivalent,” he added, citing his impression of her character being “extremely compassionate and likeable.”

“When placed beside the ‘walking on eggshells’ (Trudeau) prime minister and the ‘stiff shouldered robot’ that is Andrew Scheer; she appears to be the most human out of the bunch.”

However, her platform is “just too far removed from my cosy slot in the centre-left the political spectrum.”

While Singh was “indeed a smooth talker” for Giovannetti, “I was unable to grasp much of his policy during the debate.”

“This debate could have been the perfect platform for him to illustrate his policies to the Canadian people.”

Grandpa still not voting

Guido Masutti, a retiree in his 80s, is still not voting after watching the debate.

“It’s always the same,” Masutti, who voted NDP last election, said, “because if leaders were committed they would have raised some of the subjects during their meetings. This is wrong.”

While both May and Singh brought in the subject of rich Canadians’ taxes saved somewhere offshore to supplement much-needed programs such as universal pharmacare and dental, an issue that's dear to Massutti's heart, he remains unconvinced.

He said Singh's appearance should conform with the majority of the Canadian population.

‘Felt slightly embarrassed’

Daniel D’alessandro, 24, didn’t only feel “nervous” but “slightly embarrassed” when he saw the candidates unable to “have a mature conversation and let one finish speaking.”

“Unfortunately, this was my first debate I watched and I wasn't impressed. The only topic to be had was climate change and talking bad about one another. I don't feel any more educated on these platforms and will have to do my own research.”

While the millennial is planning to vote Conservative again, he isn’t “happy” with how Scheer has performed during the debate since he “bullied everyone and continuously went after Justin majority of the time.”

“I'll have to do my own research and see what they have in store as time goes by.”

What impressed D’alessandro is the “calmness” of Singh but he too, but “I felt a lot was missing in his representation.”

May has also galvanized his attention, describing how she "is the only one I felt that if she was elected would represent Canada the right way.”

From Liberal to Conservative this time for Chau Thi Vo. (Steve Somerville/Torstar)

Grandmother complains

Chau Thi Vo, 97, didn’t catch the leaders speaking on senior citizens matters, an issue that’s dear to her.

Vo’s grandson Andrew, who translates for her, said “she complained about the leaders quarreling with each other, wondering how anyone could understand what they were saying if they all talked over each other.”

Vo, who voted Liberal last election, is going to pick Scheer because he came to one of The Golden Age Village for the Elderly's fundraiser events earlier this year.

Andrew said his grandmother was surprised to see Jagmeet, a visible minority, running for Prime Minister