Conservative candidate for Cardigan Julius Patkai went after Liberal Lawrence MacAulay Tuesday morning for his party's position on abortion rights.

Patkai made his comments during an all-party roundtable discussion for the riding on CBC Radio's Island Morning.

"I know Lawrence has compromised his core values about life, pro-life and he went with abortion," said Patkai. "I'm very pro-life and that's where my conscience lies."

Patkai chided MacAulay, who is against abortion, for not voting with his conscience.

Federal Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau announced in 2014 he expected Liberal MPs to vote pro-choice on any motions in Parliament.

MacAulay acknowledged his position was not an easy one.

"It's been a very difficult issue for me. People know I'm pro-life," he said.

"Sometimes things change and I have to do it … Is it easy? No, it's not. It hurts."

Patkai's comments came at the end of an hour-long discussion that focused mostly on the economy.

For most of the hour, the Conservatives were the main focus of attack.

"We have been punished by the Harper government," said Green Party candidate Teresa Doyle.

"He has been very hard on Cardigan and has undone much of the good work Lawrence [MacAulay] has done."

MacAulay complained about federal jobs being moved out of the riding.

"They've even sold the post office in Montague so there's not much left for them to take," he said.

Patkai responded that the Conservatives had invested just as much money in P.E.I. as the Liberals ever had.

Support for the Wood Islands ferry was also debated, with MacAulay asking Patkai why the Conservatives would not support a long-term contract. Patkai agreed the ferry is central to the Cardigan economy, but argued short-term contracts are better because economic conditions are constantly changing.

The changes made by the Conservative government to employment insurance, both the larger reforms and the particular changes made on P.E.I., were also a key topic of discussion.

"This zoning is just ridiculous," said NDP candidate Billy Cann, in reference to the splitting of the province into two EI zones, with people in the Charlottetown area having to work more hours to qualify.

Cann also complained wait times for EI are too long.

"A lot of people in Cardigan are living from paycheque to paycheque," he said.

MacAulay went so far as to suggest the entire EI system is in jeopardy, but Patkai said that is not at all the case. Employment insurance is a necessary program, he said, but that doesn't mean it should never be touched.

"We have to have those insurances in place," he said.

"The system is not perfect. There is room for improvement, absolutely."