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A professor of political science at Nipissing University says the Progressive Conservative election strategy of limiting candidates' debate attendance is bad for democracy.
David Edward Tabachnick, a professor of political science at Nipissing University says Vic Fedeli has turned down a request to appear at a candidates debate at the university organized by students. He says both the Green and NDP candidates have agreed to attend, while the Liberals have not yet selected a candidate.
Tabachnick says the event will go ahead despite Fedeli's refusal.
"I'm a bit surprised because it seems a bit of a contradiction. I think the idea is just to sit on your lead and avoid having candidates say anything negative. They just want to sort of rag the puck as long as possible until Election Day."
Tabachnick says the PCs used the same strategy last time around.
"You would hope that voters would make the party pay the price because it is just not democratic on the face of it.
"That's a strategy, and I certainly don't like it. I think that if you're not able to show up on a debate stage or take questions from the media, you really shouldn't be a candidate. I'm sure many of the people running don't like it. They do want to talk to their constituents or potential constituents but are not allowed to. So it's very sort of top-heavy campaign management, not a lot of grassroots decision-making."
BayToday contacted Fedeli's campaign manager Bill Ferguson who confirmed attendance at a Cogeco-Chamber of Commerce debate.
But Ferguson refused to answer if Fedeli was turning down the students' event, repeating several times, "We're doing the Cogeco community debate. That's the only one we're doing. I've made my statement."
Asked to explain the strategy behind that decision, Ferguson said, "There's nothing more to say."
Meanwhile, local Liberals seem to be in complete disarray. Efforts to learn more about a potential Liberal candidate have turned up crickets for Tabachnick. He contacted the former candidate Tanya Vrebosch who said she had no information either.
"So there's no riding association," says Tabachnick. "I've called the provincial Liberals three times, just saying, give me somebody local and they'll say, 'Well, we'll send your message to our field manager' and I'm like, 'OK, that sounds promising,' but of course I've heard nothing back."
The debate will take place in F213 (Nipissing Theatre), Tuesday, February 25. Doors open at 7 p.m., debate begins at 7.30.
The debate questions will be drawn from Nipissing students, and will address education, health care, economics, and the environment.
The debate moderator will be Tyler Clarkson, and the time-keeper Vanessa Beaudry, both members of the Nipissing University Political Science Society.