It's always bad form for a political candidate to duck an all-candidates' meeting.
It's even worse form when you're in what appears to be a close race and you refuse to face the music.
So, what was Bob Dechert thinking?
There's really no excuse for the Conservative candidate in Mississauga-Erindale to not show up last night at a debate at the University of Toronto at Mississauga.
Unfortunately, there's a rather long history of candidates, usually parachute-neophyte candidates, shirking their obligation to answer to the public.
Liberal John Sola, for one, managed to get himself elected MPP for Mississauga East in 1990 despite never attending a meeting where he faced the larger public.
Dechert knows better. He's an experienced political participant and a lawyer. What, is he worried that some freshman poli-sci student is going to stump him?
Politicians usually make their mark, in fact, when they are willing to wade into the lion's den and take the heat. I think of former Ontario Health Minister (and current Conservative candidate in cottage country) Tony Clement, whose campaigns Dechert worked on, stepping up at an all-candidates' meeting at Credit Valley Hospital in the last campaign and more than holding his own. The lobby groups were lined up at the microphone but Clement gave back as good as he received.
It's enlightening, it's entertaining and it's educational. An empty seat is the worst policy of all.
I always wonder why candidates make some lame excuse for ducking an all-candidates' encounter. Has it never occurred to them that, if they win, their new job includes a sedate little daily diversion called Question Period?
Comments (2)
If Bob is "ducking" the debates, does this mean he will duck meetings in Ottawa and Question Period??
I'd rather put someone in who may not know enough but at least is going to show up and get to know what is going on.
Posted by J. Coke | January 22, 2006 6:20 PM
Posted on January 22, 2006 18:20
I too was dissapointed that dechert didn't come.
Having been a U of T news editor for three years i can honestly say that that was the best election forum i ever seen (to many of these things are near-empty affairs with dry debates).
There must have been 350-600 people there at any one time. I liked the flow of the debate both alghabra and brar came with very well crafted messages and promises of Transit and a day care centre for students.
The event wasn't packed with anyone's supporters. While the NDP candidate had a good cheering section I interviewed students who were planning on voting conservative but are now re-thinking it.
Don't get me wrong i think Dechert is a nice guy and a strong candidate but if he loses the riding by a hair he may regret missing this debate.
Posted by OJ | January 20, 2006 8:53 PM
Posted on January 20, 2006 20:53