The New Democratic Party’s race to replace the late Jack Layton officially kicked off Dec. 4 at the new Ottawa Convention Centre.
Nine candidates congregated at the convention centre for the first of six bilingual debates that will help the NDP choose its next leader.
The debate began with each candidate giving a one-minute statement outlining what they would do to create a more inclusive economy, if elected as Canada’s next prime minister.
Nathan Cullen, MP for the Skeena-Bulkley Valley riding in British Columbia, said he wants the government to focus on making better choices.
“Building prisons for crimes that have not been committed is not good government policy,” Cullen said.
“We need to find a way to [educate] the Canadian public about true investments.”
Ottawa Centre MP Paul Dewar said he wants to invest in the “green economy,” and called for the end of “ridiculous” corporate tax cuts.
After the introductions, candidates were presented with a broad question, and each had a minute to answer.
Though the debate was centered around the economy, the public also chimed in with a variety of questions, some through videos submitted through YouTube.
Small business owner Scott Leyton wanted to know what the new NDP leader would do for small businesses, while British Columbia student Kim Cambell wanted to know what candidates would prioritize when it came to the environment.
During a rapid-fire round, where would-be leaders had 15 seconds to answer questions, candidates agreed that making affordable housing available to Canadians should be a top priority.
“Imagine the number of good jobs we could create by putting a good roof over everyone’s head,” said Parkdale-High Park MP Peggy Nash.
Later, the candidates were sectioned off into groups of three to debate amongst each other.
Brian Topp, the party’s former president who is also running for leadership, tried to derail a question on the environment by talking about government sales tax.
Dewar referred to Canada’s “embarrassing” lack of commitment to international sustainability agreements and proposed “an East-to-West grid for sustainable energy” that would help Canada meet their agreements, and build a stronger infrastructure.
Towards the end of the debate, candidates had the opportunity to ask each other questions.
Cullen brought up the current housing crisis in Attawapiskat, a First Nations reserve in northern Ontario, to illustrate how out of touch the current government is with Canada’s rural communities.
Dewar added that his innovation strategy would infuse the job market and create a more energy sustainable Canada.
Thomas Mulcair, the MP for Outremont, Que., said education is essential to a growing economy. He also commented on the decrease in doctoral degrees.
“The only way to increase wealth, is to increase knowledge,” Mulcair said.
The Quebec vote was essential to the NDP in the last election, bringing in 59 seats of their 102 seats in the House of Commons. As a result, there was a noticeable tension when some candidates struggled in the French portion of the debate.
Robert Chrisolm was one such candidate. He used a translator to answer questions.
After the debate was over, he admitted that a bilingual leader was necessary in Canada, and asserted he was taking time to learn.
Five more debates will be held before the election on Mar. 24, 2012.
