Tonight I attended the all candidates meeting for my riding in Ottawa-South. Ottawa South has an excellent incumbent in David McGuinty for the Liberal party. McGuinty is hard working, has a strong social conscience, is highly intelligent and well versed on the issues. He is a dream candidate and the kind of person I am proud to support.
The Conservative candidate did not show up for the debate and McGuinty debated with a well meaning Green party candidate and a charming young fellow from the Pirate party. It was a tribute to our democratic process that questions were asked to all the candidates although Mike from the Pirate party(that stands for copyright protection and open access to information) and Mic from the Green party were clearly out of their depth on most if not all of the issues. That is the democratic process, to get involved, to take a stand on issues and to ask questions.
The Conservatives have shown a distinct aversion to any form of debate during this election fearing questions, or dismissing debates as Harper does, as mere bickering.
Despite the Conservative propaganda that no one is interested, the room at Rideau Park United church was packed. There was a long line of individuals asking questions and it was democracy at work. The questions ranged from health care, to military spending right down to the fact that McGuinty does not know a tweet from a chirp. He promised he would learn!
Bravo for Canada and for our democratic process where questions are asked and parties like the Pirate party can sit at the same table as the more traditional parties like the Liberals. Such debates and exchanges of ideas are at the very heart of democracy. It is a pity that the Conservatives do not believe in it!
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