The final Hamilton area debate took place late last week. Only incumbent NDP candidate Monique Taylor (right) and Liberal challenger Chantale Lachance (left) were in attendance. Photo credit: Twitter/Cable 14
The Hamilton Mountain Cable 14 debate took place last Thursday, May 26. A replay of the 60-minute debate can be watched via YouTube. The event was co-hosted by the Hamilton Spectator and was moderated by Cable 14’s Mike Fortune.
The Hamilton Mountain riding, which is generally an NDP stronghold, has six candidates running in the June 2 provincial election. Cable 14 invited four candidates to the debate (NDP, Greens, Liberals, and PCs), while two candidates (NDP and Liberals) showed up. The other two candidates (New Blue and Ontario Party) were invited to submit a one-minute video statement, to which only Andy Busa of the Ontario Party obliged.
2022 Candidates (Alphabetical by Party Name)
Green Party – Janet Errygers
Liberals – Chantale Lachance
NDP – Monique Taylor (Incumbent)
New Blue Party – Baylee Nguyen
Ontario Party – Andy Busa
Progressive Conservatives – Mike Spadafora
Top Three Parties – 2018 Election Results
NDP – Monique Taylor – 54.58%
Progressive Conservatives – Esther Pauls – 24.83%
Liberals – Damon Starr – 9.24%
The debate consisted of a two-minute opening statement from each candidate, questions from local media, and then a one-minute closing statement from each candidate. The two-candidate debate meant that there were far more back-and-forth jabs than in the previous Hamilton area debates.
Liberal candidate Chantale Lachance used her opening statement to say that Hamilton Mountain has “the best people” and highlighted the Liberal Party’s record that included ending coal power generation and implementing full-day kindergarten. Interestingly enough, she did not mention the governing Ontario PC Party at all.
Monique Taylor (NDP), however, did mention the governing party, saying that both the Liberals and the PCs have underfunded and disrespected “our most valuable public programs and services.”
After the opening statements, local media members had the opportunity to ask questions of the candidates. The panel consisted of Kevin Werner (Hamilton Community News/Hamilton Spectator), Rick Zamperin (900 CHML), Bobby Hristova (CBC Hamilton), Kelly Botelho (CHCH News), and Val Cole (Cable 14).
To start off media questions, Werner asked Taylor (NDP) if the NDP would form a coalition with the Liberal Party if Doug Ford fails to win a majority government. Taylor said that “we’re not looking towards any coalitions at this point. We are truly looking to form government and we have the best opportunity to [beat Doug Ford].”
“The Liberals are coming from seven seats, we are coming from forty seats,” continued Taylor.
The next question focused on affordability to which Lachance (Liberal) claimed that the NDP platform “does not address gas, food, childcare, or transit.” Taylor said that the claim is false as the NDP platform includes all of those topics.
Both Lachance and Taylor then took aim at PC candidate Spadafora and his notable absence from the debate. Lachance (Liberal) said that the debate is like a job interview and “in life, if you don’t show up to a job interview then you just don’t get the job.”
At that point in the debate, a one-minute pre-recorded video statement from Ontario Party candidate Andy Busa was played. Busa said that he moved to Canada from the Philippines in 2006 and that he was disappointed in the way the PCs handled the COVID pandemic. He said his party is the party of “freedom, family, and faith.”
Werner then asked a tough question of Taylor (NDP), searching for Taylor’s opinion on whether or not NDP leader Andrea Horwath should step down if her party fails to win this election. Taylor said, “I think that’s an unfair question” and “we’ll leave that up to Andrea.”
Conversation then turned to long-term care homes as the Liberal and NDP candidates both promoted their plan to phase out private long-term care homes. Taylor said that the Liberals only built 600 beds in fifteen years.
Asked what the Liberals would do if there was another COVID outbreak, Lachance said that her party would do “whatever it takes, whatever that means, to protect our citizens” indicating that the Liberals would not rule out bringing back mask mandates, vaccine mandates, and even lockdowns.
She said, “we need to follow science.”
Taylor said that the PCs flip-flopped too much during COVID by imposing mandates and then bringing the province out of mandates. She said that “we need a government that will stick to a decision and keep us there as long as possible.”
The Liberal Party candidate also mentioned how her government would add the COVID-19 vaccine to the list of mandatory vaccines for school-age children. The NDP would also make the COVID vaccine mandatory to attend school.
When speaking of diversity in politics, in a rather odd statement Lachance touted how proud she is of her oldest child for having a diverse set of friends.
She said, “My oldest has a Muslim friend, a black friend, a mulatto friend, and a white friend.”
Taylor said that the NDP, particularly Andrea Horwath, works hard to ensure that their party is attracting “equity candidates.”
Closing statements then consisted of many of the same pitches made throughout the debate with the NDP and Liberal candidates thanking each other for showing up and ensuring the people of Hamilton Mountain that they will work hard for them if elected.
Visit the Hamilton Independent website for a recap of the other three debates that took place: Flamborough-Glanbrook, Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas, and Hamilton East-Stoney Creek. The Hamilton Centre debate was cancelled since only the Liberal candidate responded that they were able to come. Andrea Horwath, NDP candidate for Hamilton Centre, was unable to attend due to a COVID-19 diagnosis.
All debates were recorded and posted on YouTube by Cable 14.
Based in Hamilton, Ontario, Kevin Geenen reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He is a regular contributor with The Hamilton Independent and has also been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, Niagara Independent, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. He is known for Hamilton crime updates and social media news graphics. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal from Governor General David Johnston. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. In March 2022, Kevin started working as an Office Administrator at RE/MAX. Kevin’s journalism work continues to be independent of his other jobs.
Based in Hamilton, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
