I couldn’t get to the second candidates debate in Aurora on Saturday afternoon (7 June) but a friend of mine who was there paints this fascinating picture and I pass it on. I post it here with permission, but without the writer’s name as requested.

“The Aurora debate was quite interesting. There were four candidates and 70+ people in attendance. Jane Twinney continues to underwhelm in staggering ways, if that even makes sense. She answered questions, particularly in the yes/no portion, in ways that completely contradict her party's platform. You could hear people gasping a little. She answered every other question with eliminate the deficit. She is making it up as she goes along. I'm not sure if she's being willfully misleading or if she's just confused and ignorant.

They got rid of the candidate-to-candidate questions without letting all of the candidates know in advance. (That, or they just forgot about it.) Almost half of the debate, 55 minutes, was given to questions from the audience. There was a question about a national pharmacare program with a couple of statistics. Twinney said "yes, healthcare for those who need it." 

An attendee asked something along the lines of "if you had to vote for someone other than yourself on June 12, who would you vote for?"

The moderator said it wasn't a fair question and that the candidates didn't have to answer. They wanted to.

Roblin said Duff and the NDP

Baxter said Ballard

Ballard said he'd split his vote three ways: social justice message of the NDP, something about the Greens, and Baxter for being Baxter. 

Twinney said she'd vote for the Libertarian candidate (who wasn't there)

One of Twinney's party platform violations was so big that Frank Klees booed her. And that happened within the context of an otherwise non-heckling audience. If only I could remember what the issue was!

I think it's worth noting that Frank stepped out as soon as the candidates were done answering the panel's questions. I guess he had no interest in hearing about what was important to those in attendance. 

The NDP candidate Angus Duff couldn't make it.