VAUGHAN-WOODBRIDGE: Fiery debate at Woodbridge Pool & Memorial Arena

Yorkregion.com
Oct. 7, 2015
By Adam Martin-Robbins

A lively, largely partisan crowd was treated to a fiery debate Monday night between three of the candidates vying to capture Vaughan-Woodbridge in the Oct. 19 federal election.

Conservative incumbent Julian Fantino, Libertarian Anthony Gualtieri and Liberal Francesco Sorbara faced off in front of more than 100 people inside the Woodbridge Pool & Memorial Arena.

The debate, organized by the Village of Woodbridge Rate Payers Association, covered a range of topics including the economy, crime, traffic congestion, the Senate expenses scandal and the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement.

Barbs started flying right out of the gate.

Sorbara took several jabs during his opening remarks, accusing Tory leader Stephen Harper of not addressing major issues such as improving home care for senior citizens and bolstering the Canada Pension Plan.

The swipes continued when the candidates were asked their views on the current state of the economy and how their party’s economic plan would help local residents.

“There is so much confusion. Are we in a recession; are we not in a recession? Is there a surplus, is there not a surplus?” Gualtieri said. “We know Stephen Harper ran six consecutive deficits; I think it’s seven actually. Now, he says, he’s going to balance the budget. We’re $100 billion now (more) in debt, to me that’s a recession.”

Gualtieri added his party would implement a 15 per cent flat income tax, which it would pay for by eliminating “corporate welfare.”

Sorbara continued the attack during his turn at the podium.

“We know we’ve been in recession this year,” said the 43-year-old corporate bond analyst. “We know the Conservatives promised us no deficits and ran eight deficits for eight consecutive years and this year underspent in infrastructure and in defence and in veterans affairs so they can show a little surplus. We know the gimmicks.”

Sorbara said his party would invest $125 billion in infrastructure over 10-years and cut taxes for the middle-class while increasing them for those earning $200,000 or more.

Fantino, former Veterans Affairs minister, responded by accusing the Liberals of hiding a “$6.5 billion gap” in their platform that will cost taxpayers an extra $400 a year.

“Mr. Sorbara talks about change, and all this. It’s just like going to a candy store - pick out the flavour, the colour and all of that, but forgetting that there’s a cash register on the way out,” the 73-year-old longtime resident said.

Fantino said the economy has been “inching forward” under the Tories and the government is “already running a $5 billion surplus.”

Sorbara denied there’s a funding gap, saying his party’s platform has been “fully costed.”

When asked directly, none of the candidates explicitly committed to resolving the traffic congestion on Hwy. 7, just west of Islington Avenue, where it narrows from six lanes to four lanes because of the CP Rail bridge.

Fantino said he’s met with municipal officials and discussions are under way.

But, he noted, the railway company owns the bridge so addressing the issue will require working with the firm as well as securing funding commitments from all three levels of government.

Sorbara and Gualtieri gave similar responses, although the former noted Fantino has been in office five years “and there’s been no action.”

Throughout the evening, the hopefuls dished out partisan attacks and touted party lines - such as when they were pressed about how they’d tackle organized crime and the recent spate of gun violence in Woodbridge that has led to eight deaths since 2013.

“One thing I would not advocate is the legalization of marijuana or, for that matter, injection sites where people can go and shoot up illegal drugs,” Fantino, a former police chief, said before rhyming off a list of legislation his party introduced including the Tackling Violent Crime Act, the Truth in Sentencing Act and the Victims Bill of Rights.

He also noted the Conservatives are “totally and absolutely committed to minimum sentences for serious crimes and we’re also all for removing the citizenship of those ... who happened to have been convicted or terrorism, of treason, of declaring war on Canada and Canadians.”

“Let’s stop the fear-mongering. We all know, it’s easier for teenagers to find and buy pot in Canada than it is for them to buy cigarettes,” Sorbara shot back. “It’s a failed policy. This whole Nancy Reagan: ‘Don’t buy drugs.’ It failed. We’re spending resources and money on things that are just a failed policy when we could be investing it in rehabilitation programs, in treatment programs.”

NDP candidate Adriana Zichy and Green Party candidate Elise Boulanger didn’t take part in the debate.