A candidates' debate in the St. Paul's by-election briefly descended into farce last night as police were called to rein in an independent candidate who refused to sit quietly while questioners ignored him.
John Turmel, who styles himself Turmel the engineer, one of five fringe or independent candidates contesting the race in St. Paul's, was upset at not being allowed to answer questions being directed to the four major party candidates.
He was asked several times to be quiet or leave, but refused, continuing to walk around the church hall where the debate was being held. An hour into the debate, a recess was called and a group of audience members confronted Mr. Turmel.
"You want to cheat me quietly, I won't be quiet," Mr. Turmel cried as he was surrounded. "Call the police. Assault! You can't touch me, you can't touch me."
The police were called, according to the event's moderator, but did not arrive for 45 minutes. They decided not to intervene at that point. The debate was eventually resumed, but Mr. Turmel continued to wander the aisles, objecting loudly each time a question was asked to the major candidates. When Liberal candidate Eric Hoskins was posed yet another question, Mr. Turmel said, "Oh, Eric again - give us a show, Eric the one man band."
The drama overshadowed an otherwise tepid debate at the First Unitarian congregation on St. Clair Avenue in which most candidates turned their attention to criticizing the Liberal government of Dalton McGuinty.
Progressive Conservative candidate and Toronto Sun columnist Sue-Ann Levy hammered away at the Liberals' decision to harmonize the province's sales tax with the federal goods and services tax, which she said would increase the cost for most Ontarians on basic purchases such as a cup of coffee.
"The HST is nothing more than a massive tax grab," Ms. Levy said.
"You have a choice to send Dalton McGuinty a message and I'd like to be the messenger."
Dr. Hoskins, a family physician and former policy adviser to foreign affairs minister Lloyd Axworthy, replied that the HST would simplify tax for businesses without having a negative effect on the poor.
He shot back at Ms. Levy by citing a column in which she said that the homeless "have it pretty good in Toronto."
Lawyer Julian Heller, the NDP candidate, called the HST "the wrong tax at the wrong time."
Green party candidate Chris Chopik also voiced his opposition to the HST because of what he called its disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable.
The by-election, scheduled for Sept. 17, is being held to replace former Liberal MPP Michael Bryant, who resigned in the spring.
Joe Friesen