Liveblogging the English Debates

Headed to the Lang gang's debate social. Andrew has a lot of enthusiasm and optimism, and has been very supportive of women and women's issues in the party. He'd be a much better representative for Toronto Danforth than Jack Layton! I think the bar where his social is taking place is called Rails and Tails which is on the Danforth.

It'll be my first time live blogging via my BlackBerry, which will be interesting, because as I'm someone with nails, I find typing fast on one of these things pretty tough (I don't know how Kady O'Malley does it!). My hopes for tonight are to keep this blog light hearted but I'm also hoping that
1) Dion does as good as he did last night, if not better - showing he is effective, decisive and a guy with the best, most practical ideas for this country.
2) If this is achieved, the media don't overlook it and don't give excuses for Dion's "fluke" greatness, and that they report it fairly.

I'll be updating this post throughout the night (as long as my fingers can take it!)

Just got off the subway - I'm shocked at how many ppl are out and about and not home with pens and paper planning to watch the debate. I can only hope that they're on their way home or heading to watch it out at a bar with friends. If I see a sports game or the US VP debate on any big screen at a bar enroute to Lang's party, I'll be appalled!

Where's Steves comfy sweater if he wants to wear them tonight is the night!

If I hear fundamentals of the econ one more time....Layton obviously trying to reach out to avg joe through the tv, smth no doubt palin wll do tonight as well.

- May seems alert and off to good start and effectively going after Harper on economy
LOL does Harper not care or is he incompetent? But it should be a rhetorical question - he doesn't care and is incompetent esp when it comes to the economy.

-Can they interrupt or cut in? They are letting Harper have free rein.

-Dion is spot on what the Conservatives inherited and squandered.

-Um what's with the gibberish bw duceppe and harper? They cant even listen to each other. Neither seems to list to cdns

-Dion is good to keep mentioning he's cutting taxes and combatting the Harper spin. Also calling Layton on his facts on corporate taxes and how Sweden has succeeded with low corporate taxes and carbon taxes.

- Ndp record of balancing budgets? He's crazy, HIS party has never held govt and the prov ones all cut corporate taxes.

First Q over: I think Dion wasn't the loudest but kept the most calm and seemed to be the only one ready to actually tackle the challenges of the economy.

Second section: Environment and fuel prices

9:37 PM: Harper obviously can't even read! Re greenshift tax comments. At least it gave Dion a chance to simply explain the plan to cdns.

9:42 PM: Good that Harper is being called on his "intensity targets." NO ONE thinks Harper can meet his absolute targets.

9:44 PM: Good of Dion to note the cost of waiting to act on the enviro.

9:46 PM: Dion keeps making the case for the Green Shift as good for economy and environment.

9: 48 PM: May gives Harper credit for something (national parks). Unfortunately for him her follow-up wasn't very nice...

End of section. Only one that credibly made the case of his plan is Dion...

Health Care now....

9:50 PM: Bloc going on with Ottawa bashing.

9:53 PM: Bashing of cuts in the 1990s that were necessary to clean up last Con mess. A bit rich for Harper to do this, he called for deeper cuts.

9:54 PM: Good for Layton! Called on Harper on what I just said - campaigned for private health care and wanted further cuts.

Yelling about who uses private clinics now. This is dumb...

I note Dion is the only one who isn't yelling and interrupting in this debate. That's more befitting a Prime Minister.

9:55 PM: Dion reminds what the q actually was - more doctors and what the Liberals will actually do.

9:58 PM: Catastrophic drug coverage.

10:00 PM: Good of Layton to mention Aboriginal health care. Layton says "trust us" to deliver he'll pay for it with corporate taxes that will lose jobs.

Next section: Arts

10:00 PM: Duceppe first, bashing Harper's cuts. May talks about how it's imp to the economy. Dion says how its part of identity and helps economy. Harper plays the piano and his family have artistic talents too, his son plays guitar, he'll give a tax credit. Layton's wife is a sculptor. Mentions most of artists are poor and Harper cuts them anyway.

I never knew our mps were so artistically talented - they should sell their art!

10:05 PM: Is Harper a barbarian is the next q! Dion plays it cool at least. Duceppe attacks notes Flaherty said cuts were political.

May gets specific on the programs cut and how it made no sense to cut. Duceppe: Harper refused to provide justification for cuts. Harper says he's getting "a bad rep", poor him, tries to play games with numbers to get his way out of it.

Layton gets the last word.

Now Crime....

Guy says the rate of violent crime is going way up. CPAC picked this? That's not even accurate.

10: 10 PM: May says it's false. May will ban handguns.

10: 12 PM: Dion will be tough on crime and causes of crime. Need more police and give them tools they need.

10:13 PM: Harper says some kinds of crimes have increased somewhere. Tougher sentences and more jails.

Layton notes shootings in this riding. Duceppe says Dion's right, putting children in jail not the sol.

10: 20 PM: Layton talks about problems for Aboriginals and how much they make up a bigger portion of the prison population. We have to do better, he's right. Layton talks about children and poverty almost reaching out to harper for help and understanding and harper looks very unsympathetic. Harper switches the topic again away from Aboriginals unfortunately.

Afghanistan now....

How do you justify pulling troops out in 2011?

.....A couple rude ppl in the bar who don't listen in general....

Dion makes the case clearly why we couldn't leave in 2009, Harper did nothing to prepare. Dion will give NATO notice it's 201, will Harper?

Harper refuses to admit he made a mistake on Iraq

May raises foreign aid and .7%. Topic switches again.

Harper says Dion changed his mind, Dion says Harper changed his.

End of session.

Next question: What's the first thing you'll do.

Layton: Replace corporate tax cuts as first thing? What his first action will be a budget? Does that make any sense? Has that ever happened? Layton has no idea.

Duceppe: He can't be PM, but he'll be there for Quebec.

May: Sorry missed it.

Dion: Will deal with the economic crisis right away. First thing is an economic update. Will have best cabinet, meet with regulators.

Harper: Doesn't answer question.

10:45 PM: Layton says Premiers and McGuinty don't agree with Green Shift. Not true. Dion gives excellent response to the interviewers q on provincial support saying the ppl support him if elected as do the worlds top economists and environmentalists, he's got the courage to do it.

Dion slams income trust broken promise....

Last section now...

How can we can trust you?

Duceppe doesn't ask for trust, just slams Harper broken promises

May is sad that politicians aren't trusted. Vote with your heart she says. We deserve better.

Dion says all parties are not the same. Liberals would build the country back up again.

Harper: We've followed our platform. This is a joke! Links will be up shortly (here you go: Harper sure did keep his promises).

Layton: Kitchen table again.

Should politicians will be able to change their mind?

Dion says yes it you can explain well.

Layton goes on about Red Book.

May slams Harper on Atlantic Accord.

Dion says Liberals delivered child care and Kelowna Layton killed it. Notes how Harper has fired anyone who disagreed with him, wants to walk all over farmers, etc.. We need leadership we can trust.

Harper finishes on Canadian Wheat Board. Not sure if that's how he wanted to finish.

My Libertarian friend here said no clear winner.

Lang said Dion showed that he is a true leader and we need to make sure he's the next leader of canada and...if possible, vote early and help get out the vote!

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

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