4 candidates squared off in 1st NDP leadership debate

Jobs and the environment were hot topics Sunday as the four candidates vying to become the NDP’s next leader crossed swords in the leadership campaign’s first debate.

Speaking to an overflow audience in a downtown Ottawa hotel, Peter Julian, Charlie Angus, Niki Ashton and Guy Caron all pointed to low wages and precarious job security as among the biggest problems facing Canadians.

Angus said the number of Canadians who consider themselves working class or poor has risen significantly, while Caron said economic inequality is one of Canada’s biggest issues. Ashton said the neo-Liberal agenda and bad trade deals were hurting the economy, with the wealthy one per cent gaining, while others are struggling. Much of the wealth is falling into the hands of people who aren’t even in Canada, she said.

Julian said Canadians are worried about their pensions, while the wealthy one per cent are shipping money to tax havens – money that he said should be returned to Canada.

The four declared candidates for the NDP leadership who debated today, from left: Niki Ashton, Charlie Angus, Guy Caron and Peter Julian. (Canadian Press photos)

While all four candidates support the idea of protecting the environment and acting to prevent climate change, there were nuances in where the balance should be set between protecting the environment and job creation. Julian, for example, said sometimes it is impossible to reconcile the two.

To date, four candidates have joined the race to succeed Leader Tom Mulcair. Two more prospective candidates have asked the party for the forms needed to enter the race, but have not yet filed. 

The debate comes as the NDP is still recovering from the 2015 election which saw it running neck and neck with the Liberals, only to have Justin Trudeau pull ahead in the final stretch and form a majority government. Mulcair announced he planned to stay on as leader, only to lose a leadership review vote in a stunning turn of events at the party’s convention in April 2016.

The leadership race is likely to bring to the fore a perennial question for the NDP. Some members believe the party should stand up for left-wing, socialist principles – regardless of whether it helps NDP MPs get elected. Others, however, favour the decision made by Mulcair and former NDP Leader Jack Layton to move the party closer to the centre in the hopes of winning an election and being in a position to bring about change.

Is Trudeau vulnerable?

With Trudeau’s decision to approve pipelines and put electoral reform on the back burner, some observers see opportunity for the NDP to win back some of the progressive voters it lost to Trudeau’s Liberals in the last election. An attractive NDP leader could result in pressure on Trudeau to shore up the more progressive wing of his party.

Sunday’s debate will also be an opportunity for the four candidates to highlight some of their policies and the positions that distinguish them from their rivals.

Julian, for example, wants to get rid of tuition fees for post-secondary institutions like universities and colleges and opposes both the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline extension and Keystone XL.

Angus, who has made a mark as a feisty defender of the rights of First Nations and Indigenous children, launched his campaign saying he wants to stand up for “the new working class” – everyone from blue collar workers to white collar workers stuck in perpetual temporary positions.

Caron, who worked with the Council of Canadians then the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada before being elected, launched his campaign with a call for a basic guaranteed income for all Canadians.

Ashton, who ran in the NDP’s last leadership race, is pledging to fight growing inequality, privatization, deregulation and austerity.

Questions in English and French

The NDP candidates faced questions in English and French as well as participating in open debate, quick “lightning round” QAs and debates between pairs of contestants. For some, like Angus, the debate was an opportunity to show off the French language skills he has been learning.

While many of the questions touched on big issues like the economy, the environment or reconciliation with Indigenous Canadians, some were lighter questions like each candidate’s favourite Quebec movie, favourite dish or favourite sport.

The debate is one of four official debates being organized by the NDP, although there are expected to be at least four more debates organized by other groups.

The deadline for candidates to jump into the race is July 3. Rounds of voting for the next NDP leader will begin on Sept. 18 and continue until one candidate gets more than 50 per cent of the vote.

Elizabeth Thompson can be reached at elizabeth.thompson@cbc.ca

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Article source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/first-ndp-leadership-debate-1.4020434?cmp=rss