Rating the candidates

This provincial election was no exception, and the traditional ‘Meet the Candidates’ evening took place in Victoria Hall last Wednesday, a few days before early birds began lining up for the advance polls.

If one distinct pattern has emerged from these meetings after all this time, it is that the incumbent MP or MNA gets upstaged by a newcomer representing the second- or third-place party. In the many federal races over the past decade, MP Lucienne Robillard has faced formidable challenges by extremely bright and articulate Conservative and NDP candidates, and last week MNA Jacques Chagnon had his hands full with a candidate representing neither of the Liberals’ two main rival parties.

While Mr. Chagnon was clearly the most confident, so much so that he came armed with basically one message—his party’s noble campaign focus on the future of Quebec’s health-care system—it would be wrong to say he was upstaged. He did, however, get a run for his money with Green Party candidate Patrick Daoust, whose well-prepared presentation and articulate answers during question period were a definite highlight of the evening.

Wedged firmly between the proverbial rock and hard place—namely his party’s passive stand on the Agglom issue and his constituents’ vehement cries for major changes—Mr. Chagnon weathered the verbal storm with all the aplomb of a seasoned pro. When asked a direct question on the Agglom issue from the floor, his voice never faltered—even when the exasperated questioner's utterance “You’re not answering the question” was picked up by the open microphone and heard throughout the hall.

Aside from Stanley Baker’s keen organizational skills, much of the evening’s success can be attributed to first-time moderator Tom Davis, who proved to be a natural for the job.

Ensuring fairness to all—candidates and questioners alike—he kept the pace upbeat and lively by cutting in firmly but politely whenever necessary. Also to be thanked is timekeeper Stanley Grossman and WMA president Henry Olders, who ensured that everything went smoothly behind the scenes.