Attacks sharpen toward Tim Houston in 2nd PC leadership debate

With a format notable for how little candidate interaction it allows, several very direct attacks lobbed at one candidate during the second Tory leadership debate stood out more than anything else on Thursday.

Cumberland North MLA Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin first went after Pictou East MLA Tim Houston in response to a question about the economy. She called Houston's proposal to eliminate income tax on the first $50,000 earned by people 25 and younger a "boutique tax break" and suggested it would do little to help.

"I just want to remind people that zero tax on zero income is a zero solution."

But Smith-McCrossin's most pointed criticism came in her closing remarks, when she seemed to take a clear shot at certain characteristics some people have attributed to Houston, while asking the crowd of more than 200 people what kind of premier they wanted.

"Do you want someone who's negative, who always attacks and criticizes, who can't handle questions or criticism? We already have someone like that, we already have Stephen McNeil and nobody wants a Tory version of Stephen McNeil."

Following the debate, Smith-McCrossin wouldn't say if the comments were in reference to Houston.

"I'm going to say that what I'm encouraging for all PC members and those that will become members, is to look below the surface and to look closely at all candidates, to look at their character and to look at the way they treat people and to make sure that we choose the right leader that's going to be different."

Cape Breton Regional Municipality Mayor Cecil Clarke also had criticisms waiting for Houston, in particular Houston's plan for a $100-million chronic illness treatment and prevention program.

In his closing remarks, Clarke touted his "thick skin" and a long-term plan rather than "empty rhetoric, meaningless pandering and gimmicky, flash-in-the-pan policies."

Following the debate, Clarke, who's spent the last few weeks framing himself as "a true conservative," questioned the conservative bonafides of anyone who would want to set up a new government process to address chronic illness, "rather than deal with it at the front lines."

"Then it looks like the government spending more money with no plan in place," he said. "It's definitely not, what I see as a candidate, the approach to take."

It's too soon to say if the approach will have an effect, although Houston consistently had the strongest response from the crowd at the Alderney Landing theatre in Dartmouth, N.S.

In his closing remarks, Houston argued his time spent living in both urban and rural Nova Scotia and his ability to listen to people best position him to get people who don't normally vote Tory — or vote at all — to support the party in the next general election.

Houston said he wasn't surprised people went after him and his policies.

"The best way to not have your ideas attacked is to have no ideas," he said following the debate.

"I'm happy that we got their attention."

Kings North MLA John Lohr, meanwhile, continued to position himself as the most conservative of the five leadership candidates, reminding people of his support for onshore natural gas development and championing of industries such as forestry, agriculture and Uber.

"If Nova Scotians want Liberal policies, they'll vote Liberal. We can't win an election running as Liberal lite. We need a leader who's not afraid to be conservative and I'm the right person for that job."

Lohr said after the debate he believes the recent election win by the Tories in Ontario and the emergence of the United Conservative Party in Alberta are indications there could be breakthroughs for his approach in Nova Scotia.

As for Halifax Seaport Farmers' Market manager Julie Chaisson, she spent the duration of the debate trying to sell herself as the "disrupter," a candidate who is different and could help the party break through in a general election.

She also may have presented the most unique idea of the evening, noting that 25 per cent of the public service is eligible for retirement in 2020 and suggesting that might be a good time to overhaul all departments other than Health and Education.

"We've been doing it the same way for a very long time," she said after the debate.

"We have an opportunity to engage the people who are working in the public service, who know how things could be done. We just need to talk to them, work together and we can renew and we can rejuvenate our public service."

The next debate is July 12 in Tusket.

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