March, 18, 2004

A day after Conservative leadership candidate Stephen Harper said NDP policies would be as damaging to Canada as Quebec separation, the NDP leader challenged Stephen Harper to step-up to the plate and take part in a debate on the issue.

“It’s time for Stephen Harper to tell Canadians why he finds peace or equality so bad,” said Layton. “Given his derision of Ms. Stronach for not debating, I’m sure he’d welcome a debate on why fighting climate change, building better public health care or stronger communities are bad for the future of Canada.”

Layton said he would be happy to engage on fiscal responsibility, noting that unlike Harper, he has experience with multi-billion budgets. He said he would also happily debate the other subjects of Harper’s attack, namely trade deals and integrating Canadian foreign and military policy with the United States.

“This is a test of leadership for Stephen Harper,” said Layton. “If he truly believes that fighting climate change, building homecare or staying out of wars fought on a fiction are the end of Canada, then he has the obligation to explain to Canadians why.”