Harper fends off attacks from Duceppe, Martin in final debate

Last Updated: Tuesday, January 10, 2006 | 11:40 PM ET

CBC News

Conservative Leader Stephen Harper was forced to fend off more attacks as the four main party leaders set their sights on Quebec voters Tuesday in the final debate of the campaign.

The French debate in Montreal came as Harper has emerged as the perceived front-runner and is challenging the Liberals and Bloc Québécois for support in Quebec.

In the first French debate last month, Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe appeared to focus his barbs on the Liberals' Paul Martin. But Tuesday night, Duceppe also turned his sights on Harper.

NDP Leader Jack Layton, Conservative Leader Stephen Harper, Liberal Leader Paul Martin and BQ Leader Gilles Duceppe, left to right, take their positions for the French language leaders' debate. (CP photo)

RCMP probes into a possible government leak on income trusts and alleged illegal spending through the now-defunct unity lobby Option Canada were the two main issues kicking off the debate.

• French Leaders' Debate: Live Analysis

Martin opened by saying Harper does not share the same values of Quebecers. He said the Tories are against the province's day-care program, the Kyoto agreement and supported the war in Iraq.

"Mr. Martin prefers to invent a bogus platform for me than defend his own record," Harper said.

The debate then switched to the Option Canada investigation and the income trust affair.

The RCMP was asked last week to look into about $4.8 million in grants Option Canada, a federalist lobby group, received before the referendum, and how that money was spent. The authors of a new book allege the lobby group bypassed Quebec's spending laws for the referendum.

Duceppe said the Option Canada probe was not "a Liberal scandal but a federal scandal" because both Liberals and Conservatives belonged to the lobby group.

"It seems when the hopes of Quebec are at stake for the Liberals and the Conservatives, the ends justify the means, which is why more than ever, Quebecers want representatives with integrity, representatives whose only loyalties lie with Quebec," the Bloc leader said.

Harper said his party asked the auditor general to study Option Canada. He also took Duceppe to task for suggesting that "anyone who promotes federalism is corrupt. It is not a crime to promote federalism in Quebec."

Martin was again forced to defend Finance Minister Ralph Goodale over the income trust affair. The RCMP is investigating the possibility that information was leaked about Goodale's pre-election announcement regarding income trusts.

"My government follows the rules. My ministers follow the rules," Martin said.

NDP Leader Jack Layton scolded Martin for not calling the RCMP himself.

"It was us, the NDP, that had to ask the RCMP to conduct an investigation," he said. "Mr. Martin, why didn't you do it? Why didn't you do what you should have done?"

The Liberals are smarting in Quebec from the RCMP probes. Many voters in the province still feel stung by the sponsorship scandal.

Under social policy, moderator Sophie Thibault brought up the issue of assisted suicide, asking which leader would support it.

Harper said his party does not intend to make any changes to the legislation but said if the issue was put forward, he would allow a free vote on the issue.

Martin said he is personally against assisted suicide and that as prime minister he would have a hard time approving it.

Duceppe said he was proud his MP presented a bill to start a debate on the subject. Layton didn't answer the question directly, instead saying the Bloc bill gives Canadians an opportunity to look at various aspects of the issue.

Martin and Harper clashed over the government's attitude toward the U.S. government. Martin accused the Conservative leader of going to the United States to insult Canada for not joining the Iraq war. Martin said he went to the United States and defended Canadian interests.

But Harper shot back.

"Mr. Martin, it is not the prime minister's role to insult Americans on TV; it is the prime minister's role to defend Canada's interests, and you failed," Harper said.

In one of the more bizarre exchanges, Martin seemed to mix up his targets, attacking Layton for a Harper promise. He accused Layton of wanting to enshrine property rights in the Constitution – something Harper said during Monday night's debate – and said Layton was opposed to protecting abortion rights.

"No, not at all, Mr. Martin," Layton responded. "You're absolutely fabricating things."