Halfway through, the second Conservative leadership debate – and the first officially organized by the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC), held in Edmonton – proves more concrete and relaxed than the first, as the six candidates have the chance to more clearly articulate their vision of the country and the party.
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After a series of questions touching on the economy and on the war in Ukraine, moderator Tom Clark, a veteran Anglo-Canadian television journalist, launched the question of abortion.
Seizing the ball, Jean Charest, openly pro-choice, took advantage of the segment to accuse his rival Pierre Poilièvre of not having a clear position on the subject. This earned the former premier of Quebec boos, despite the formal ban on disrupting the course of the debate.
Unlike the others, Mr. Poilièvre did not reveal his personal opinion on abortion. However, he insisted that Canada would not reopen the file if it came to power.
This all-English debate is the first opportunity for the mayor of Brampton and former leader of the Ontario Conservative Party, Patrick Brown, to make himself known outside his native province, he who had avoided participating in the debate in Ottawa last week. .
Mr. Brown used his time to launch unsubtle attacks on Mr. Poilièvre, whose election he implied was impossible because of his rhetoric.
“We’ve lost three elections in a row, and we’ve forgotten how to win in areas like the suburbs and the GTA (Greater Toronto Area), where I get elected,” Brown said.
He was also the only one to suggest that Canada should do its best to establish a no-fly zone in Ukraine, which would have the effect of closing the airspace to Russian planes and forcing the allied armies to destroy them.
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