Round 2 of debates sparks bigger fireworks
Last Updated: Friday, December 16, 2005 | 11:59 PM ET
CBC News
The two-hour debate on Friday night was much more fiery than the French-language version a day earlier.
- FROM DEC. 15, 2005: First debate produces few fireworks
It kicked off with Liberal Leader Paul Martin, Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe and NDP Leader Jack Layton ganging up on Conservative Leader Stephen Harper, who opposes same-sex marriage.
NDP Leader Jack Layton shakes hands with Prime Minister Paul Martin as Conservative Leader Stephen Harper and Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe look on. (CP photo)
Harper repeated his position that he would hold a free vote on the issue if his party formed the government. As in Thursday's debate, he pledged not to use the notwithstanding clause to change the law.
Martin said Harper would have to invoke the notwithstanding clause, and promised that he would defend the Charter of Rights.
"If you can't defend the Charter of Rights, you've got to ask why you want to be prime minister. I will defend the Charter of Rights and I will not bring forth new legislation," Martin charged.
But Harper shot back at Martin, asking why – if he believes it is such an important charter issue – there are dozens of Liberal candidates that support the Conservative position on same-sex marriage.
"Mr. Martin and I have a disagreement on a legal opinion," Harper said. "He believes it's a charter issue. I believe it's simply an issue of the definition of marriage."
- CANADA VOTES 2006: Debate blog
Martin fields jabs over sponsorship scandal
When asked about his accountability for the sponsorship scandal, Martin defended his actions, saying he called for the Gomery commission and has put forth lawsuits to recoup funds.
But the party leaders pounced on Martin.
Harper said the only way to hold the government accountable is to defeat the government, adding that the Tories have proposed a number of electoral reforms to prevent a sponsorship-like scandal in the future.
"This scandal is without parallel at the federal level in Canadian history," Harper said.
"I do not believe we can let that go unpunished."
Layton said one of the serious consequences of the scandal is that many Canadians have lost faith in the democratic process.
He said the best way to hold the government accountable would be for voters to send more New Democrat MPs to Ottawa.
Duceppe challenged Martin to give the names of Liberal candidates and organizers in the 1997 federal election who received dirty money from the sponsorship program.
"I think it's a question of honour for him to give us the names of those that received that money," he said.
Martin's criticisms of U.S. 'reckless,' Harper says
On the issue of Canada-U.S. relations, the opposition leaders slammed Martin for making anti-American remarks, saying he was all talk but no action in terms of settling disputes with our southern neighbour, specifically on the issue of softwood lumber.
Earlier this week, the U.S. ambassador to Canada implicitly rebuked Martin for attacking U.S. policies to score political points.
But Martin defended his comments, saying he would always stick up for Canada.
"I call it like I see it. When we have a disagreement, like on climate change, like on softwood, we should not be afraid to tell them [the U.S.]," he said.
Harper accused Martin of engaging in "phoney and reckless wars of words that does not help this economy or Canadians.
"It's important for a prime minister to keep relations as good as we can while standing up for our real interests," Harper said.
He pointed out that it took Martin 64 days to call U.S. President George W. Bush about the softwood-lumber dispute after he promised to do so in the summer.
Layton accuses Martin of 'hypocrisy' on environment
Layton scolded Martin, asking how he could lecture the United States about the environment when Canada's greenhouse-gas emissions have risen by 24.4 per cent while U.S. levels have grown by barely half that amount.
In a speech last week, Martin singled out the United States and, in particular, the Bush administration for refusing to sign the Kyoto Protocol on greenhouse-gas reductions.
"It's hypocrisy," Layton said.
Martin and Harper also exchanged barbs on the issue of Iraq, with both accusing the other of having wanted to send troops to the country.
'You are not going to take my country away,' Martin warns Duceppe
On the issue of Quebec sovereignty, Martin turned to Duceppe, saying the Supreme Court, the Constitution of Canada and international law make it clear that the Bloc can not have a unilateral declaration of independence.
"Let me say also that I am a Quebecer. And you are not going to take my country away from me, with some trick, with some ambiguous question," Martin said.
"...This is my country and my children were born and raised in Quebec, and you're not going to go to them and say that you're going to find some backdoor way of taking my country, or dividing Quebec family against Quebec family."
Debates follow different format than predecessors
Friday night's political contest followed the same format as the one a night earlier.
Panels of journalists did not pose questions. Instead, the leaders responded to videotaped questions from everyday Canadians, with the moderator authorized to ask followup questions.
The debates in the last election, in June 2004, were criticized for cross-chatter and interruptions among the leaders, the result of each candidate's microphone being kept on at the same time.
For the four debates leading up to the Jan. 23 vote, leaders are to respond, one at a time, to each question. As one leader is speaking, the microphones for the other three are cut off.
