Ontario’s four main political party leaders sparred in a debate Monday night, positioning themselves as the best to lead the province and tackle health care, affordability, crime and education.
PC Leader Doug Ford, Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie, NDP Leader Marit Stiles and Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner all took part in the 90-minute debate.
Here’s a recap of the debate:
7:58 p.m.
Leaders now getting into closing statements.
Ford reiterates that he will fight tariff threats.
Crombie asking those who previously voted NDP to vote for her instead.
Stiles says rising costs are hurting people and weakening the province. She takes aim at Ford for “quitting his job” in the face of tariff threats.
Schreiner says “I will fight for you” and says his MPPs would be local champions who would be responsible to the electors rather than the party.
7:56 p.m.
Crombie just had her best moment of the debate by a country mile – hitting Ford hard on having everything handed to him and not understanding the affordability challenges of regular everyday people.
She even squeezed in a mention of Trump. A clean and uninterrupted shot on a top tier issue.
-CTV News Political Commentator Scott Reid
7:54 p.m.
Leaders asked what they would make each other for dinner.
Stiles says she’s make a boiled Newfoundland meal – “very inexpensive, cabbage, salt meat, potatoes”
Ford – macaroni and cheese
Schreiner – pizza made from Ontario ingredients
Crombie says she’d lean into her Polish heritage and make Polish food like perogies
7:52 p.m.
Leaders now answering question on climate change.
Schreiner says province has to protect farmland.
Stiles says Ford says one thing for the cameras on green policies and another behind closed doors.
Ford claims the carbon tax killed more jobs than anything and calls Crombie the “queen of the carbon tax.”
Ford points out his transit investments will take cars off the road.
Crombie gets in and says Ford doesn’t understand anything because he was raised “privileged” with “a silver spoon in his mouth.”
7:51 p.m.
One thing that’s noticeable as the debate nears its end – there has not been a ton of time dedicated to the issue of Trump and tariffs.
You can be sure that Ford wanted the lion’s share of tonight dedicated to that subject because it plays to his strengths.
Doesn’t mean he’s losing this debate. Just means that he’s not been able to muscle the discussion toward his preferred political territory.
-CTV News Political Commentator Scott Reid
7:48 p.m.
Schreiner answers next. He says the government has said no to higher densities. He says the Greens would build 2 million homes and remove the restrictions to build missing middle housing types in large urban centres.
Stiles says there are “generations of people in this province who are never going to be able to imagine owning a home under this government.”
She says her party is the only one committed to rent control and permanently affordable housing.
Ford says the answer is to get rid of more development fees.
7:45 p.m.
Next question: What is your fix for renting in Ontario?
Crombie says her children can barely afford to rent. She says she would eliminate fees and charges that make housing more expensive.
Ford says his party got rid of HST for purpose-built rentals and they’re putting money into infrastructure to facilitate more housing.
Ford says “the economy would go down quicker than a Canadian bobsled downhill” if the other leaders were in charge.
Crombie adds that she would phase in rent control.
7:41 p.m.
Crombie and Schreiner now having a 1-1 debate.
Schreiner asking Crombie whether her party will release a costed program when it comes to education.
Crombie says she will, but Schreiner pushes back and asks when.
“These promises, they’re like a sacred trust with people. They want to know how you’re going to pay for things,” Schreiner says.
7:39 p.m.
Now a 1-1 with Marit Stiles and Doug Ford.
Stiles says students graduating “in spite” of the government, saying he cut $1,500 per student.
Ford says his government has been investing in education.
Stiles says parents with kids in schools right now know that’s not true, citing large class sizes.
7:35 p.m.
The debate is now moving on to education.
Candidates being asked how to fix what is a “crisis in many colleges” because of shrinking enrollment and programs that have been cut.
“The answer isn’t to increase tuitions. The answer is to properly fund post-secondary institutions,” Stiles says.
Ford says his government has cut tuition, but has cut ”basket weaving” programs to focus on STEM programs and skilled trades.
Crombie says youth need to be prepared for jobs of future, especially with AI. She calls the current system “a Ponzi scheme” relying on foreign students because the number was never capped.
Schreiner says there needs to be “an honest conversation” about post-secondary funding, noting Ontario has the lowest level of funding in Canada.
He says the $1.3 billion the Ford government gave colleges and universities was barely enough to make up for loss of foreign students.
7:32 p.m.
Interesting that Stiles preserved her sharpest attack for Crombie and not Ford. It highlights the never-far-from-the-surface tension between the Liberals and NDP as each scraps to finish ahead of the other.
-CTV News Political Commentator Scott Reid
7:31 p.m.
Leaders now being asked, on a personal note, what they do on a weekend off.
Ford says he loves working. He has a cottage, but barely sees it.
Schreiner says he loves spending time with his family hiking.
Crombie says she spends time with her family, who are physically competitive., They also like rock climbing and pickle ball.
Stiles says she loves lake swimming.
7:30 p.m.
Again, Ford waves Jane Philpott’s name like it’s a health care shield. You have to imagine there are people all across Ontario wondering, “What is a Jane Philpott and what does it do?”
-CTV News Political Commentator Scott Reid
7:29 p.m.
Crombie being asked what her plan is to tackle gridlock.
She says more money needs to be invested in public transit, especially in the GTA. She again takes aim at Ford on his tunnel plan.
7:25 p.m.
Ford being asked now why people should believe that his party will end hallway health care when they promised before and failed to do so.
Ford says his party has been investing in building more hospitals and working to attract more doctors and nurses.
“We’re doing everything we can to build the system, along with bringing Dr. Jane Philpott in that will connect every single person to a primary caregiver,” Ford says.
7:23 p.m.
Crombie being asked why her plan to cut taxes doesn’t do so for those earning less than $50,000.
“We’re going to cut small business taxes, but we’re going to cut income taxes for people earning $75,000 or less, and we’re going to take the HST off home heating and hydro,” Crombie says.
She also points to her promise to double ODSP.
Stiles takes aim at Crombie’s plan. Crombie responds and says Stiles “thinks money grows on trees.”
Stiles criticizes Crombie, saying she has collected donations from “private health care insiders,” despite promising to shake up the system.
Crombie responds that her party has followed the rules to the letter.
7:19 p.m.
Leaders now being asked “What will your party do to end homelessness?”
Stiles says she would create an organization to manage homelessness.
Schreiner questions whether another layer of bureaucracy is needed.
Stiles says there are community organizations which would jump in to build more housing, but only if there’s provincial leadership.
Schreiner says money should just flow from the Ministry of Housing to nonprofits, co-ops and other organizations to get it down faster.
7:15 p.m.
Next question is for Schreiner. He’s asked what he would do instead of the spa and waterpark deal at Ontario Place.
“It’s public space that should be publicly available,” Schreiner says, taking aim at Ford for “subsidizing a foreign-owned spa at the tune of $2.2 billion.”
Schreiner says “I want to build things, but I want to build things that make sense for the people of Ontario, like homes they can afford.”
Ford retorts that Schreiner believes in things like “bike lanes” but would take the economy down.
7:11 p.m.
Now moderators asking about promises leaders have made.
First question goes to Ford about Highway 401 tunnel plan. Asked why he should be handed a blank cheque by taxpayers given there’s been no feasibility study.
Ford says he believes in infrastructure.
Crombie calls his tunnel idea “dumb” and a “fantasy project” that would bankrupt the province.
7:10 p.m.
Maintaining a sense of control and composure is important. Debates aren’t just about what you say but how you say it.
Ford won the exchange on crime by holding the stage and deflecting attacks calmly. Left the impression he was in control. The opposition leaders need to find a way to knock him off-balance and provoke a reaction.
-CTV News Political Commentator Scott Reid
7:07 p.m.
Next question is whether your government would build housing in the Greenbelt.
Schreiner says no, as does Crombie.
Crombie says Doug Ford was going to unless he was pressured to pull back.
Stiles agrees and says she’s proud that they fought the Greenbelt plan and won.
Ford says no, but acknowledges he changed his tune. He says he apologized.
7:06 p.m.
Another open debate period.
Stiles says too many cases being thrown out because of court backlogs. She says government has failed victims, including victims of intimate partner violence.
Schreiner says “we’re better than this” when it comes to how the government is dealing with homelessness. He says there have been decades of underinvestment in housing.
Ford responds and says “we’ve invested into our police like no other.”
He says the problem is none of the other leaders believe in mandatory minimum sentences.
7:05 p.m.
Crombie is making solid interventions but her tone is consistently too hot, bordering on anger. The risk is that her arguments don’t connect because they seem too frantic, too partisan.
-CTV News Political Commentator Scott Reid
7:02 p.m.
Schreiner says Doug Ford is “criminalizing people who are experiencing homelessness.”
He says people need public services and his party would put “care over crime.”
Ford gets to chime in again and says his party is working to hire more officers.
Stiles now gets a turn to answer as well and says youth crime should be addressed through investments in schools.
She says she hears people are worried for their safety. Addressing that means helping people with addiction issues and those who are homeless, but also fixing backlogs in the court system.
7:00 p.m.
Schreiner points out bail reform is a federal issue, points to delays in the Ontario courts, says Ford is criminalizing people who experience homelessness. “We need to invest in housing people,” not throwing them in jail, he says.
Ford retorts that his government is building jails, and hiring more police officers while other party leaders would do the opposite.
6:58 p.m.
Now on to a debate about public safety. Leaders being asked what they would do to address youth crime.
Doug Ford responds first and says “catch and release” policies are to blame for much of the youth crime.
Crombie answers next and says “something has changed” in the GTA and people don’t feel safe anymore.
She says people are afraid to ride transit or to go to parks “because they might step on needles.”
She says she would tackle the causes of crime and “get really tough” on repeat offenders.
6:55 p.m.
Now moving to an open debate on affordability.
Schreiner says he, Crombie and Stiles would double ODSP rates. He asks why Ford is OK with people living in “legislated poverty.”
Ford responds that the province has raised ODSP – according to the rate of inflation.
All three of the other leaders jump in, with Crombie and Ford getting heated.
Ford says Mississauga was well run “until Bonnie came along,” referring to her time as mayor.
6:51 p.m.
Ford responds to Stiles.
“I don’t believe in taxing people, and I will never take money out of your pockets,” Ford retorts. “They believe it’s their money. There’s never been a tax they don’t like or a toll they don’t want to hike.”
6:50 p.m.
Stiles jumps in. She says she’d introduce a grocery rebate to help those who are struggling.
And let me tell you, I am not going to be giving a $200 cheque to Galen Weston,” Stiles says.
6:49 p.m.
Crombie – who has been campaigning day after day on health care – catches a break with the first topic. Everyone gets a chance to weigh in on family doctors right off the top while eyeballs are still fresh. Ford’s answers are weirdly government-y. He’s talking in stats and dollar figures, relative comparisons with the spending levels of previous governments and blurting out Jane Philpott’s name like she’s some kind of talisman. That said, Crombie came off as way too hot, too angry.
-CTV News Political Commentator Scott Reid
6:48 p.m.
Next topic is affordability. Schreiner says it’s not fair that Doug Ford has handed out cheques to wealthy people as well as those who are struggling.
Ford says “this is where we fundamentally disagree.” He says the money belongs to the people rather than the government.
6:47 p.m.
Crombie says takes aim at Ford on health care: “Look into the camera, and I’d like you to tell the people at home who lost loved ones while they were on the wait list, what you did over the past seven years to fix our health care system because it’s broken,” Crombie says.
6:45 p.m.
Leaders now talking heath care. Other leaders piling on Ford when it comes to lack of family doctors.
Stiles says Liberals invented the crisis and Ford “poured gasoline” on the problem.
6:38 p.m.
Sorta choppy start. Ford and Crombie looked a little halting – some early nerves maybe? Stiles and Schreiner less so. Clear contrast on priorities – Ford is about tariffs, Crombie about health care, Stiles sticks to affordability and Schreiner seems to still be fighting the early election call.
-CTV News Political Commentator Scott Reid
6:35 p.m.
The debate is now underway. The first question is: What makes you the right leader to respond to the tariff threat?
PC Leader Doug Ford gets to answer first.
“We’re going to expand our economy, diversify our trade, bring companies in from all over the world, just like we’ve done for seven years,” Ford says.
NDP Leader Marit Stiles says everything has become more expensive under Ford’s PCs and says she’s applying for the job Ford quit.
Meanwhile Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie says “When I look around Ontario today, I can’t recognize it after seven years” and says the province needs a change in leadership.
Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner says he would not be “abandoning” his job when the premier should be bringing everyone together.
6:15 p.m.
CTV Political Analyst Scott Reid says the “stakes for anyone not named Doug Ford are high” as the debate gets underway.
“With ten days to go if either Bonnie Crombie or Marit Stiles is to cause the slightest stir in this election it has to happen tonight,” Reid said. “Both Opposition leaders need to beat Ford. And they both need to beat one another. Third prize is a cheap set of steak knives. And no one wants a cheap set of steak knives.”
The live debate was organized by a consortium of broadcast partners, including CTV News, CP24, CBC, Global, TVO, CHCH, CPAC, CityNews and OMNI News.
The debate was moderated by CBC’s David Common. CTV News’ Queen’s Park Bureau Chief Siobhan Morris and Global’s Colin D’Mello also joined Common in asking questions.
