(Ottawa) The attacks were withering. And the responses were just as hard-hitting. Pierre Poilievre and Jean Charest threw down the gloves from the first minutes of the debate in which five of the six candidates who are running for the leadership of the Conservative Party participated Thursday evening.
Posted at 7:18 p.m.
Updated at 9:17 p.m.
The virulence of the attacks was such that one of the contenders, Tory MP Scott Aitchison, spent part of the evening appealing for restraint. “We can disagree without being disagreeable,” he said in particular towards the end of the debate.
The tone was set when Pierre Poilievre, who is considered the leader of this race, came on stage after Jean Charest without shaking his hand. He subsequently took the trouble to squeeze that of the other candidates.
Photo BLAIR GABLE, REUTERS
Pierre Poilievre went on stage without shaking hands with Jean Charest.
The convoy of truckers, national unity, the legal challenge to Bill 21 on state secularism in Quebec, the construction of pipelines, the role of the private sector in the country’s health care system and the future of CBC/Radio-Canada were all topics covered in this 90-minute debate hosted by the Canada Strong and Free Network, a right-wing think tank formerly known as the Manning Centre.
During many of the topics discussed, Pierre Poilievre and Jean Charest exchanged blows and practically ignored the other three participants.
While answering a question from the hosts about the failures of the Conservative Party led by Erin O’Toole in the last federal election, Pierre Poilievre launched into a tirade against Jean Charest’s record when he was Prime Minister of Quebec. He again accused him of being a Liberal of the same ilk as Justin Trudeau, of raising taxes in Quebec, and of leading a corrupt government.
“I want to take a moment to refute once and for all that I am a Liberal,” said Jean Charest.
I fought during the 1995 referendum. And I am in this race because I believe in the unity of the country. […] And believe me, if I fought the separatists, it’s not this guy here on the scene who’s going to intimidate me,” he said, while saying his government cut taxes and made cleaning up public finances in Quebec.
John Charest
“Mr. Charest, you can try to deny your record all you want, but that’s the reality. […] I am a true conservative who has stood for the same things all my life. I am not putting on a blue shirt temporarily to hide a red shirt underneath in a way to take control of the party, ”said Mr. Poilievre tit for tat, to applause from part of the room.
During a segment dedicated to the convoy of truckers that paralyzed downtown Ottawa for three weeks in February, Poilievre said he had no regrets for having supported them. “My position has not changed. Law-abiding truckers were fighting for their livelihoods,” he insisted, later describing himself as the champion of freedoms.
Jean Charest, who had already claimed a few weeks ago that Mr. Poilievre had disqualified himself from leading the Conservative Party by supporting protesters who flouted law and order, seized the ball.
He accused Pierre Poilievre of importing a divisive American style of politics. “It’s at the heart of this leadership race. We have a choice to make. Canadians who watch us also see this choice. Either we go for American politics and the divisions, the polarization, the slogans, and the vicious attacks, or we tell Canadians what the Conservative Party must be to become a real alternative,” he said. -he says.
Pierre Poilievre’s reply was scathing. He claimed that the Liberal Party of Quebec under Jean Charest had accepted “half a million dollars in illegal contributions” “It’s a bit strong of you to talk about law and order”, he said said, later referring to the work that Jean Charest did for the Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei.
Later, Mr. Poilievre insisted on several occasions to know how much Mr. Charest had been paid by this company, suspected by some of Canada’s allies of engaging in espionage activities. ” How much ? How much ? How much ? he repeated, constantly interrupting his opponent.
“We are not at a student council meeting,” Jean Charest finally let go, but he did not take the bait, pointing out that Stephen Harper’s Conservative government, of which Pierre Poilievre was a part, had authorized Huawei doing business in Canada in 2012.
Mr. Charest then accused Pierre Poilievre of holding double talk on Bill 21 adopted by the Legault government.
“Pierre Poilievre said in French in Quebec, not elsewhere in Canada, that if it goes to the Supreme Court, he will not speak on behalf of Canada. So Pierre, this idea of freedom, is it true or is it a slogan? “, launched Mr. Charest. “I said I was against Bill 21 in French, in English,” Mr. Poilievre simply said.
The only woman in the race, MP Leslyn Lewis, is the only one among the candidates to oppose abortion, has criticized Mr Poilievre for “shitting away from the media” because he does not want to clearly state whether he is “pro-life or pro-choice”.
This first oratorical contest also allowed Ontario MPP Roman Baber and Scott Aitchison to present themselves as unifying candidates capable of leading the party to power.
The sixth candidate in the race, Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown opted out of the debate on the grounds that he was too busy selling membership cards.
Two debates are also organized by the party. The first in English will take place in Edmonton on May 11 and the second in French will take place in Laval on May 25.