[RCO]

Well i don't usually watch TVO i must admit but they had an interesting show on last night that featured all 4 of the ont pc leadership candidates in a sit down debate format .

I though all 4 did good under the circumstances and topics that were being discussed . was most impressed with some of hudak's and elliotts answers , but for hudak the exception being his response to the human rights commissions which didn't really make sense i though . elliott i though came across as professional and a solid debater . klees also had a few good points and a few others that weren't as good . hillier came across as more professional than i was expecting but failed to explain a few of his positions properly .

did anyone else watch it and have any observatons or thoughs ?

[Willg]

I think each candidate at one point or another in the debate said something I agreed with. I liked the way Elliott dealt with the question regarding the fact that Jim Flaherty is her husband.

Were going to be in for a long three year debate (within the party) to decide what to do regarding the HRC.

[Libertas]

I thought Frank Klees was the most impressive of the candidates. If you were to ask me who I would vote for it would be Klees. With regards to Hudak, I wasn't that impressed. I've heard he's another Mike Harris, but I really don't see it. Especially after he called Frank Klees a "Liberal-lite" despite the fact Klees is supportive of reforming the Human Rights Commissions which in my view is more prudent.

What Klees has stated when it comes to the HRC's is that Section 13 should be rescinded. That's the kind of reform we need and it will likely be non-controversial. Getting rid of all HRC's on the other hand would be more controversial and I don't see Tim Hudak as being a person who can give an effective defense for that position.

We should all keep in mind that both Elliot and Klees would be superior to the status quo and both have advocated reform in the HRC's. To be perfectly honest I'm looking at the current Ontario PC Leadership race with some degree of jealousy considering the lack of the same kind of grit in the Alberta PC's. I would take Elliot, Hudak, Hillier, or Klees, over any one [excluding Ted Morton] of the saps in our province. While they all have their faults atleast their contributing something beneficial to the PC's, even Christine Elliot who has been touted as a "Red Tory" is putting forward an excellent economic policy that could make Ontario competitive in the future.