Updates & Resources -
Ontario Election 2007 - London West and Nearby Ridings
FP
Continues to Drive Home Message on Schools and Property
Taxes
Local Debates Give
FP Leader Paul McKeever a Place to Shine
on Issues of Concern
to Many Voters in London
September 25, 2007,
London, Ontario - For voters and reporters who have not had
the opportunity to attend the local debates, and for those reporting on
the activities of party leaders during this election, we provide this list
of recordings that have been made in London ridings, and which can now be
found on the web. Freedom Party leader Paul McKeever is the
candidate for London West
September 11, 2007: Rogers television
(cable 13) coverage of a debate among candidates in London
West. These excerpts focus on responses by Freedom Party's
Paul McKeever, the Liberal Party's Chris Bentley, and the Progressive
Conservative Party's Allison Graham.
September 19, 2007: The LHSC
University Hospital health care debate. The debate involved
candidates from the four London ridings (London West, London North
Centre, London-Fanshawe, and Elgin-Middlesex-London). Each
question was answered by one representative of each party. The
representative was chosen among the up to four candidates
present for the four ridings. NOTE: The Progressive Conservative
candidate for London West, Allison Graham, did not attend the
health care debate. The debate was video taped by popular
London Bloggers "The London Fog" ( http://thelondonfog.blogspot.com ), which has so far released excerpts from
the debate in four parts:
Part
1 Part
2 Part
3 Part
4
September 24, 2007:
The Oakridge Secondary School all-candidates debate
for London West. Only Freedom Party's Paul McKeever, the
Liberal Party's Chris Bentley, and the Progressive Conservative Party's
Allison Graham were in attendance, though the other candidates
had been invited.
McKeever's message was exceptionally
well received. His
comparison of the Freedom Party, Liberal and PC positions on the issue
of funding for religious schools left the approximately 200 to 400
students cheering and clapping in the debate's loudest and longest
ovation.
"I think the crowd's response to me, and to the Freedom
Party message, caught Chris Bentley and Allison Graham quite
by surprise."
Graham also found herself unable to answer questions concerning
electricity, looking nervous, and openly admitting that she knew
less
about that issue. The crowd also booed and jeered, twice, each
time in response to PC candidate Allison Graham's attempts to shout
over
Chris Bentley while he was speaking in a meeting structured such that
only one candidate was to speak at one time.
"Students want to hear what each candidate has to say and I think
they found Ms. Graham's conduct somewhat rude", says
McKeever.
McKeever had to leave briskly after giving his closing comments
at the Oakridge debate so as to make it to the studios of CJBK AM
1290,
where he then appeared on the Shauna Rae show.
The Oakridge Secondary
School event was videotaped. Inquiries should be made
directly to the co-ordinator of the event, Oakridge Secondary School
history teacher Mr. Gary Doucette (519-452-2750).
