{"id":17527,"date":"2025-02-18T12:07:05","date_gmt":"2025-02-18T12:07:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/torontotribune.ca\/index.php\/2025\/02\/18\/in-their-words-ontario-party-leaders-memorable-2025-debate-quotes\/"},"modified":"2025-02-18T12:07:05","modified_gmt":"2025-02-18T12:07:05","slug":"in-their-words-ontario-party-leaders-memorable-2025-debate-quotes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/torontotribune.ca\/index.php\/2025\/02\/18\/in-their-words-ontario-party-leaders-memorable-2025-debate-quotes\/","title":{"rendered":"In their words: Ontario party leaders\u2019 memorable 2025 debate quotes"},"content":{"rendered":"


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On Monday night, the leaders of Ontario\u2019s main political parties met in the second and final televised debate of the election campaign<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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PC Leader Doug Ford, NDP Leader Marit Stiles, the Liberals\u2019 Bonnie Crombie and Green Leader Mike Schreiner spent 90 minutes trying to frame their parties for the electorate and to define their opponents.<\/p>\n

Through the course of the debate, the four made several memorable comments \u2014 some scripted and some seemingly off the cuff.<\/p>\n

Below are two quotes from each on various topics from their own record and decisions to their allegations about their electoral opponents.<\/p>\n

The province\u2019s snap election will be held on Feb. 27.<\/p>\n

On building homes in the Greenbelt: <\/strong>\u201cI think I was pretty clear. I said I was and then I wasn\u2019t and then I went ahead and did it. But in saying that, I apologized to the people. Unlike any of you, when you do something wrong, you don\u2019t apologize. I apologized to the people, we\u2019re moving forward, we\u2019re building homes.\u201d<\/p>\n

On the Liberals\u2019 tax-cut promise: <\/strong>\u201cI almost fell off the stage here, David, when Bonnie Crombie said she\u2019ll cut taxes. When Bonnie Crombie was mayor she raised taxes every year, raised the garbage tax, raised the water tax, raised the water tax, raised property taxes every year.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\tOntario PC Leader Doug Ford waits for the start of the Ontario Leaders\u2019 debate at CBC\u2019s Broadcast Centre, in Toronto, Monday, Feb. 17, 2025.\t\t\t\t<\/span>
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\n\t\t\t\t\tTHE CANADIAN PRESS\/Chris Young\t\t\t\t<\/cite>
\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

On Ford and Crombie\u2019s housing back-and-forth: <\/strong>\u201cThese two, once again, fighting over who builds the least housing in the middle of a housing crisis. Go figure.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Get\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n
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On Ford\u2019s early election call: <\/strong>\u201cA few weeks ago, while he was facing and we were facing the biggest threat that our country has faced in generations, he decided to quit his job. Now, most people in Ontario, if you quit your job and didn\u2019t show up for work the next day, you wouldn\u2019t expect to be rehired. But Doug thinks he deserves that.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\tOntario NDP Leader Marit Stiles speaks to reporters after the Ontario Leaders\u2019 debate at CBC\u2019s Broadcast Centre, in Toronto, Monday, Feb. 17, 2025.\t\t\t\t<\/span>
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\n\t\t\t\t\tTHE CANADIAN PRESS\/Chris Young\t\t\t\t<\/cite>
\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n