CityVote Day 22: Party leaders in the GTA for post-debate campaigning

The provincial party leaders spent the day in the GTA Wednesday hoping to carry the momentum from the televised debate.

Liberal Leader Dalton McGuinty, Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak and NDP Leader Andrea Horwath faced off in person Tuesday night for the first time since the campaign began.

While there were no knockouts, McGuinty came out on top, according to an Ipsos-Reid survey.

Of the 1,470 people polled right after the debate, 33 per cent said they thought McGuinty won, edging out Horwath at 29 per cent and Hudak at 25 per cent.

Horwath made big gains Tuesday night with 67 per cent of respondents saying their impression of her improved after the debate. The NDP leader was also chosen to be the most likeable, with 52 per cent of respondents saying they’d rather go for a beer or coffee with her than McGuinty (22 per cent) or Hudak (21 per cent).

McGuinty started the day in Vaughan and then headed to events in Brampton and Barrie.

Horwath started her day with a post-debate breakfast at Lula Lounge on Dundas Street West, followed by a meeting with airport taxi drivers. She finishes the day in Hamilton.

She pledged to electrify the Airport Rail Link while the Liberals plan to put high-efficiency diesel trains on that line.

Hudak kicked off campaigning in Brampton, then headed to Woodbridge and a Bathurst Street bakery.

Hudak stopped at the Brampton restaurant NINE18 for breakfast, where former Ontario premier PC Bill Davis stole the show.

Davis, who’s known as Brampton Bill, won four consecutive elections and refused to say Wednesday who he thinks will win the Oct. 6 election.

The 82-year-old said he thought Hudak did well in the debate. McGuinty was the only candidate to mention David during the televised exchange and the former premier said he was glad at least someone mentioned his name.

Davis also refused to weigh into debate on whether Hudak is too right-wing.

Hudak once again attacked the Liberals’ decision to scrap construction of a gas-fired power plant in Mississauga.

On Wednesday McGuinty continued to push a message of positive growth in the province. He said Ontario has created nearly 300,000 full-time job since the global recession.

He promised his green energy plan will create thousands more jobs.

With files from The Canadian Press

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