CBC hosted a leadership forum broadcast on TV and radio four days before Albertans head to the polls.
Liberal Leader Raj Sherman, struggling for traction much of the campaign, set the tone by suggesting the election has turned into a choice between bullies and bigots.
The bullies reference was a shot at the Progressive Conservatives, who have faced allegations they have used heavy-handed tactics to silence critics.
The bigots comment was a dig at the Wildrose party, which polls suggest is in the lead going into the vote. The party has faced criticism for its position on so-called conscious rights and for two candidates who have been forced to clarify remarks they made about race and homosexuality in recent days.
"Do we really have to vote for two false choices — a bunch of bullies who've been wrecking our health and education ... systems, and a bunch of bigots, who want to further wreck our health and education systems?" Sherman asked.
Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith took the lion's share of heckling from the audience. She was booed loudly by the audience when she said climate change is still up for debate.
Smith has faced criticism ever since she suggested earlier this week that the question of global warming still hasn't been settled, while almost everyone in the scientific community and many governments say it has been.
"We've been watching the debate in the scientific debate, and there is still a debate in the scientific community," she said to jeers. "And we are going to continue to watch the debate in the scientific community, but that's no excuse not to act."
NDP Leader Brian Mason fired back.
"It's only disputed by phoney scientists funded by the oil industry," he said.
The audience also booed as Smith said her party would not make any laws on contentious moral issues.
"I believe we need to be tolerant of all people's views and that's the position we take as a political party," she said.
Mason suggested Albertans don't want to go back to the 1950s when it comes to abortion and gay marriage.
Progressive Conservative Leader and Premier Alison Redford said she feels most Albertans believe those questions have been settled.
"We have to respect diversity ... We have to respect their rights to choose."
The debate ended with a discussion on strategic voting — supporting one party to keep another from winning. It's an issue that has emerged in the final days of the campaign.
On Wednesday a website titled "I Never Thought I'd Vote PC" popped up. The site depicts young people saying they are not fans of the Tories, but they will vote for them to keep the Wildrose out. One man on the site says he would rather have his face eaten by rodents than vote PC, but he's going to anyway.
In her closing remarks, Smith asked Albertans not to vote strategically.
"I have to tell you that I think you should vote in your heart who you think will best represent you in the legislature," she said. "Having a government that has been in power for 41 years and created all of the problems that we have today, I think one thing that the opposition leaders will all agree on is that is not a government that deserves to have another majority."
Original Article
Source: Huff
Author: Canadian Press
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