Candidates grapple during Chamber debate

It was two hours of quality debate, interruptions and even some comic relief as the four Nipissing-Timiskaming federal candidates defended their platforms during the “Meet the Candidates Night” at the Capitol Centre on Tuesday night.  

Conservative incumbent Jay Aspin and Liberal candidate Anthony Rota clearly showed their dislike for each other.  Rota showed displeasure when Aspin referred to him as “Tony.”  

“My Mother doesn’t like it when you call me that,” said Rota during the two-hour event which included introductory speeches, debate questions and closing remarks as part of the event which aired live on TVCogeco.   

Aspin questioned Rota on his stance on the Energy East Pipeline.  He claims Rota supported the initiative until early in 2015 but has now changed his mind.  

“Obviously it’s a trust issue, Mr. Rota has flip flopped again, in February he had my position, to support the Energy East Pipeline on conditions and now he’s flip flopped and he’s against it so once again it’s a flip flop, how can you trust the guy,” Aspin told the media shortly after the end of the debate.   

Rota was visibly annoyed with Aspin’s approach, noting that’s not the case.  

“He keeps bringing up this article where the headline didn’t reflect the article itself so I’m not sure what he’s trying to prove,” said Rota.  

“The Conservatives have been very good at putting information out there until someone starts believing them, it wasn’t true, and really he reads that article like he reads his bills, he reads the headline and nothing else and he just does what he’s told so no I wasn’t impressed with Mr. Aspin’s argument on Energy East.”

While the two politicians who have both held the title as MP argued with each other, Green Party Candidate Nicole Peltier and NDP candidate Kathleen Jodouin both ensured their messages were expressed.    

Jodouin came armed with a lot of information and seemed informed and prepared to debate any of the other candidates.  

“I think it was a great debate, all around,” said Jodouin.   

“It was a unique opportunity to get out there and share our Northern Platform - we are the only party that has a Northern Platform and I think you heard tonight when Anthony Rota agreed with me seven times tonight. We have the platform that can really support and strengthen Northern Ontario including Nipissing-Timiskaming.” 

Meantime, Green Party candidate Peltier proved to be the most passionate candidate.  Despite suffering from the flu, Peltier argued with all the candidates to get her Green message across.  

“I think I performed fairly well getting the green message out, I was kind of at a disadvantage being sick with this awful flu but I spoke to policy and I made sure I worked with professors from Nipissing University in order to bring real solutions forward,” she said.  

“I am not going to be a policy hack, I am going to tell you what this region needs because I know what it needs I’ve worked with these people up at the university for six years.”

Peltier stressed the need for the province to get ready for Climate Change.  She along with Rota and Jodouin didn't support the controversial Energy East Pipeline Project.  

Meantime, Aspin noted he would support the idea of looking at another option which would allow the project to by-pass North Bay's water source in Trout Lake.