Pattern emerging of Ontario PC candidates not showing up to local debates

The Progressive Conservatives have been leaving a trail of empty podiums at local Ontario riding debates, after top campaign officials issued a stern warning about the dangers of participating, CityNews has learned.

CityNews has been compiling instances of PC candidates not attending debates since last week when a political source shared, they had been directed not to take part in locally held debates.

In our spot check of 34 local debates happening across the province, 22 Progressive Conservatives did not participate, while 10 Green Party candidates, one NDP candidate and one Liberal did not participate. Although for the Liberals, it was in the Parry Sound-Muskoka riding, where no Liberal candidate is running.

Local newspapers across the province have also been noting the PC candidate absences, including Ford’s Attorney General Doug Downey, three Niagara PC candidates and another in Guelph.

A PC campaign official, who agreed to speak anonymously, denied there was a directive instructing PC candidates not to take part, but acknowledged they have been told to “carefully assess the value” and “limit the risk.”

They pointed out that PC leader Doug Ford spent days preparing for debates and that it is easy to make a mistake and get into trouble. The Conservative official also said debates are of “low value” and the best use of a candidate’s time is to door knock and speak with voters.

On the campaign trail in Hamilton Wednesday, a reporter asked Ford if candidates were avoiding debates there, he replied, “We have a clear message and the clear message is it’s very clear, we’re the only party that’s going to lower your taxes, put money in your pockets … the other three parties won’t.”

He reiterated the message on Thursday, saying, “What I think is important is that they are out door knocking.”

In Parkdale-High Park, there have already been two debates and two more to come. Liberal candidate Karim Bardeesy says the PC candidate has not shown up nor have they made any indication they will be attending the two future debates.

He says candidates should carve out time to participate in debates and get out and speak to voters.

“I’m happy to both go door-to-door in my community and go to these all-candidates meetings, organized by local community members because I’m proud of our plan. And I’m happy to talk about it. I’m happy to I’m happy to be held accountable for it and to defend it,” explained Bardeesy.

Bardeesy called their lack of participation “anti-democratic.”

“I think there’s a pattern of anti-democratic activity here. That is obviously coming from the top as we’ve heard from some of the candidates, and it is a systematic evasion of accountability,” he added.

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The NDP and Liberal parties have told CityNews they have no instructions for candidates to limit their participation in debates and hundreds will be taking place leading up to the election.

Professor of Political Science and author of Whipped Party Discipline in Canada, Alex Marland, tells CityNews this is often the strategy of the party last in power.

“It’s very common for opposition party parties to want their candidates to be involved. Because what they want to do is say negative things about the governing party,” said Marland. “And so it’s always common that the governing party really shy away from debates. They don’t like them because they’re the ones everybody activate is saying negative things about the government and basically, you’re just defending yourself the whole time.”

“It really speaks to a political party that is coordinating this that is saying, we want to be careful about the possibility of a candidate railing all the effort that the campaign is putting into focusing on the leader’s tour, the message of the day, whatever policy announcements they want to make,” said Marland.

Marland also explained with the rise of social media and the likelihood a misstep during a debate would be shared more widely, conservative-leaning parties around the world have adopted this strategy.

“There’s no question that there’s a pattern that conservative parties are far more reluctant to get involved because they feel that the mainstream media is more likely to be sensationalist about their views, as opposed to four parties that are the center or center left.”

Organizing fair, local debates

Marland said what’s different about national or provincial debates compared to local debates is the work that goes into making sure they are fair and impartial.

“At the local level, you have community groups running things and moderators, who are being selected from various points of view. It’s really ripe for the possibility of turning into a carnival, and political parties do not want their candidates participating in carnivals.”

When questioned on the aspect of PC candidates not attending debates due to a possible bias from organizers, Bardeesy said, “There’s always a chance to engage with the organizers and to find out a way to have them conducted fairly and civilly and respectfully. But the fact is, when you declined to show up, it means you have disrespect that you’re not willing to be accountable.”

But Marland says there is a solution. “I’m someone who believes we need to have a commission organizing these debates to ensure there is impartiality.”

“If we believe that local debates are important for our democracy, then I believe that we need to have an independent agency that runs these and does it with a formula that is across the province in every electoral district, where people can know what this formula is ahead of time to understand the impartiality of it,” explained Marland.

Advanced voting has officially begun in the province and the election will be held on June 2. For more details on how you can vote, click here.