Scarborough-Guildwood Green Party candidate Naoshad Pochkhanawala isn’t happy with the format of and conduct at a riding debate last week.
The debate, sponsored by the Coronation Community Association, was held Sept. 29 at Sir Robert L. Borden Business and Technical Institute ahead of the Oct. 6 provincial election.
Among the issues that has Pochkhanawala upset is an alleged request by incumbent Liberal candidate Margarett Best to deny audio recording of the debate.
“The request of the Liberal candidate that nobody at the meeting record the proceedings despite all the other candidates saying they had no objections” was unacceptable, he said in an email Oct. 2.
In response, Best said in a statement that questions about the debate should be directed to the debate’s organizers.
“During those times, the focus should be on policy, platform and who’s the best candidate for Scarborough-Guildwood,” she said.
The debate hit a roadblock when Pochkhanawala raised concern over the format.
“I’m not answering any more questions,” he said. “I don’t think this format is accurate.
“There’s just too much that is being said that is inaccurate and nobody has a chance to counter.”
Progressive Conservative candidate Gary Ellis agreed.
“There’s inaccuracies being stated that nobody can rebut,” he said.
Questions were gathered by organizers before the debate began and were then directed at the candidates. The candidates were given the opportunity to answer but rebuttals weren’t allowed.
Other candidates at the debate included NDP candidate Lorri Urban and Libertarian candidate Sam Apelbaum.
I can’t tell you how much I enjoy your publication.
In a time when most publications are now owned by a few corporations which make it hard to get stories out that people should know it so important to have publications like yours.
You bring a balanced opinion to all stories.
And you give people the opportunity to speak out. And that is important.
Most people have little time in their day to day lives to understand what is happening with their government.
This is one of the most important Provincial elections we have had in decades.
Our freedom and democracy are at stake .
When a government that had asked us to elect them to serve us , legislates away the right for you to have a say in the planning and future of the communities you live in there is something broken.
People sacrificed their lives for us to have a democratic government. Their sacrifice must be honoured .
Call the legislation what you will , The Green Energy Act , is legislation that removes our right to have a say in the planning of our own communities.
No political party deserves a place in our system of governing that would pass legislation like that. That is a dictatorship.
Is this the kind of government we want to leave our future generations?
I hope not.
Pre election promises are just that. The day after the election they can be ignored. And this kind of politics must not be tolerated.
At the end of the day , hydro , gas , food , heating , taxes have all risen in a world wide recession when costs should be coming down.
More people are going to food banks , more people are off the charts that are unemployed. Good paying jobs are disappearing . We lost 2000 jobs at Ford last month. Many car manufacturers are building facilities in other countries to shift operations overseas. Corporations have had tax breaks meaning you shoulder more of the tax burden.
Cap and Trade , more corporate welfare is being brought in January 2012 fully supported by the Liberals and NDP.
We are being sucked dry financially.
Oct.6 , please Vote. This election is too important to not bother.
Ernest Horvath
Coalition for Ethical Government