Ontario Liberals accuse Progressive Conservatives of avoiding debates
The Liberal candidate for Barrie-Springwater-Oro Medonte issued a challenge Sunday to all Progressive Conservative candidates, urging them to fill their reserved seats at debates across the province.
Jeff Lehman, Barrie's outgoing mayor, spoke on behalf of the Ontario Liberal Party Sunday, accusing his Conservative opponent, Attorney General Doug Downey, and all Conservative candidates of skipping debates and all-candidate meetings.
"We're here today because we are concerned about something that our candidates are seeing in ridings across the province, and that is it appears that PC candidates have been instructed not to attend all-candidate meetings and media appearances, avoiding debates, especially on issues where the government's record is weak," said Lehman. "This is bad for our province. This is bad for democracy."
Lehman alleges that appearances from Conservative candidates in 63 ridings have been skipped this election cycle. According to Lehman, Downey has appeared at just one of three all candidate events so far.
"By dodging these debates, Doug Ford, Doug Downey and the other Conservatives are taking for granted the trust that people put in our institutions, in democracy," said Lehman. "The most basic test of leadership is showing up; being accountable, listening to the public, answering questions and even uncomfortable ones."
PC Leader Doug Ford, who is campaigning in Bracebridge this morning with local Conservative candidate Graydon Smith, says candidates have not been told to skip debates.
"Not at all. We have a great, great candidate, Doug Downey, the Attorney General, up in Barrie," Ford said in response to the allegations. "He's done a great job representing the people. There's going to be some candidates that want to do the debates and some that aren't going to do the debate."
In a statement provided to CTV News, the campaign of Doug Downey says the Liberal campaign is 'falling apart'.
"The Barrie-Innisfil candidate has said the party will kill the Bradford bypass, and Mr. Lehman is promising more endless study and delay, despite supporting the bypass in the past," the statement says. "Both positions are at odds with their leader Steven Del Duca. It is obvious the Liberal campaign is now just every candidate for itself. Mr. Lehman should focus more on clarifying their party's position on the Bradford Bypass and less time worrying about all-candidate debates."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
"It's a bit of a complicated pattern; we've got a lot going on," said Jennifer Smith of the Meteorological Service of Canada in an interview with CTVNews.ca on Wednesday. "[As is] typical with weather, all of these things are related."
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Police tangle with students in Texas and California as wave of campus protest against Gaza war grows
Police tangled with student demonstrators in Texas and California while new encampments sprouted Wednesday at Harvard and other colleges as school leaders sought ways to defuse a growing wave of pro-Palestinian protests.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.