For the first time in this election campaign, the Wellington-Halton Hills race has become heated, with opponents Michael Chong and Barry Peters taking several shots at each other’s personal record and credibility.
Peters, the Liberal candidate, was the first to go on the offensive during the April 21 debate at the Puslinch community centre.
About 20 minutes into the event, Peters took the Conservative incumbent Chong to task for his support of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who Peters said, “doesn’t like to answer to anyone.”
Chong replied that he actually supported the speaker of the house’s decision to find the government in contempt of parliament for failing to disclose specific costs for items such as fighter jets and new jails.
But Peters claimed that is not how Chong voted.
“I saw you stand up [in opposition to the decision],” Peters said to Chong, asking the incumbent to clarify his position.
Chong suggested Peters was not familiar with parliamentary procedures. He explained he voted against the non-confidence motion that was supported by opposition parties, and not against the speaker’s decision.
Then Chong expressed frustration with Peters and what he saw as repeated attempts to attack the credibility of both himself and the Conservative party. He said someone who has “misappropriated” funds at the City of Toronto should not be attacking others.
He was referring to an article in the March 15 Toronto Star stating records show that during last fall’s municipal election, Peters, then the assistant of Toronto councillor Case Ootes, used a city hall printer to produce campaign materials for another Toronto candidate. Peters also allegedly printed Newspaper articles about his acclamation as the Liberal candidate in Wellington-Halton Hills for this federal election.
Using city resources for campaign purposes is strictly forbidden.
Peters said last week the matter is over, because he paid back the $14 bill as soon as it was brought to his attention.
“I never misled anyone … I never denied it,” Peters said.
“You broke the rules,” Chong repeated several times in response. He brought up the issue at least once more during the debate, to several groans of disapproval from the crowd.
“How you spend $14 of public money is a good indication of how you’re going to spend $14-million of public money,” Chong said during his closing remarks.
Peters did not address the issue again and maintained his party, which has “a proven track record,” is the best suited to lead the country. He chastised the Conservative government, saying it “has not stood up to the highest standards and has not remained accountable for their actions.”
Green Party candidate Brent Bouteiller, the only other candidate to attend the debate, ignored the arguing, other than to point out the last election debate he took part in at the community centre in Aberfoyle was also “heated.”
“I don’t know what that says about Puslinch,” Bouteiller joked, before adding perhaps residents there are asking the right questions.
