Six of the eight candidates vying to win the Westmount-Ville Marie by-election to be held Sept 8 (unless the prime minister calls a general election for October) were on hand to present their platforms and answer questions from the audience of about 400 residents in the Westmount High School auditorium, but while Conservative Guy Dufort and the Green Party’s Claude William Genest came fully prepared to field questions, most were directed to the Liberals’ Garneau and the NDP’s Lagacé Dowson.

Independent candidates David S. Rovins and Andy Wattie were also on hand to introduce themselves and answer questions, but were not called upon during the lengthy question period.

“Why don’t you ask me that?!” a clearly exasperated Genest cut in at one point when one resident directed an environmental question at Garneau and Lagacé Dowson. Later, the Green Party candidate threw up his arms in despair as yet another question was asked of the other candidates.

Lagacé Dowson, who arrived with the largest and most verbal contingent of supporters, including MPs Thomas Mulcair of Outremont and Joe Comartin of Windsor-Tecumseh, was put on the spot early on when Andrea Bobkowicz of Metcalfe Avenue noted that Conservative candidate Dufort had provided a "very comprehensive plan" of his platform — "yet in your brochures all I have is your CV."

Lagacé Dowson replied that her platform was spelled out in detail on her campaign web site and an attempt was made to put it into other pieces of literature.

"It's always a compromise what you do in a brochure," added Garneau, who was also asked the question. "You talk a little bit about yourself. You talk about the broad strokes of your program."

Answering a question from Somerville Avenue resident Mathew Cope on what is the biggest issue facing the riding, Garneau seemed to confirm the tone of the evening when he responded, "For me personally, the environment."

But as Garneau continued explaining his party's policy, Cope objected, reminding him that his question concerned local issues. "I asked about the riding and to leave aside the position papers," he said.

André Gervais of Sherbrooke Street recalled the Liberal sponsorship scandal, which resulted in the banning for life from the party of 10 people who were implicated.

"On your web site we can see Mr. Beryl Wajsman, who was part of that banned list, contributed to your campaign," he said to Garneau, referring to the former Liberal fundraiser who is now editor of The Suburban. "Why are people who are banned from the Liberal Party of Canada involved in your campaign?" he asked.

Garneau replied, "Mr. Beryl Wajsman is perfectly entitled as a Canadian citizen to make a donation to any party. This is certainly within the law. And this is a democracy that we live in and he decided to contribute to my campaign — and I see no problem with that."

Regarding Bill 484, a proposed Conservative law which some critics say could have an impact on the right by women to have abortions, Lagacé Dowson said, "I think the Conservative government tried to slip in the rights of the fetus into the back door of this bill … I think it's very disturbing as a feminist who is pro-choice, as are the majority of Quebecers. I'm very opposed to this measure. And I would say that it's unfortunately also that a number of Liberal MPs voted in favour of this legislation."

On the subject of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), Genest said one of the most underreported stories of the last 15 years was the merger of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies with the largest chemical companies and the largest seed companies. "'We're going to sell you the stuff that makes you sick and then we're going to sell you stuff that makes you better,'" he said, describing their "business plan." … "Right now this economy … depends on us being sick. We have to be sick for the economy to do well!"

Co-organized by the Examiner and Westmount Municipal Association, just as it has for each election over the past 10 years, this meeting saw a first — a question asked by an elected official. Mayor Karin Marks, who sat in a back row for most of the meeting, lined up at the mike and asked the last question of the evening — but as a resident of Lansdowne Avenue, not as mayor.

Charles Larivée of the Bloc Québécois and Régent Millette, an independent candidate, did not attend the event.