Quick Quotes: What the leaders said during the English election debate on Thursday

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 09/09/2021 (1721 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

GATINEAU, Que. – The official English-language televised debate took place Thursday night at the Museum of History in Gatineau, Que. Here are some key quotes from Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet and Green Party Leader Annamie Paul:

—

“If you want to … get the Michaels home, you do not simply lob tomatoes across the Pacific.” — Trudeau, rebutting criticism from O’Toole of his policy toward China.

—

“Ms. Paul, I won’t take lessons in caucus management from you.” — Trudeau, replying to accusations that he removed key women from his caucus.

—

“He has great ambition. That’s part of the reason we’re in an election in a pandemic, is his ambition. He doesn’t have achievement.” — O’Toole, on Trudeau’s record on tackling climate change.

—

“I am proud of this country. And I think if you love your country you can dig deep to make it better … so as prime minister on the national day of reconciliation, on Sept. 30, I will raise the flag with the commitment to move forward on calls to action.” — O’Toole, on when he would raise the Canadian flag from half-mast.

—

“Let me tell you: You are not stuck with these two. Better is possible.” — Singh on Trudeau and O’Toole.

—

“The cost of inaction is the entire town of Lytton being wiped out by a forest fire.” — Singh, on inaction on climate change.

—

“I am not very much interested in leading Canada.” — Blanchet

—

“These laws are not about discrimination. They are about the values of Quebec.” — Blanchet on his support for Quebec’s Bill 21 and Bill 96, seen by some as discriminatory.

—

“I would be happy to educate him.” — Paul, offering to school Blanchet over his stance on systemic racism.

—

“I am the first of my kind. I know I won’t be the last.” — Paul

—

This report was first published Sept. 9, 2021.