PC candidates take aim at Liberals, not each other during 1st debate

They were supposed to be debating each other, but at times it seemed more like Tony Wakeham and Ches Crosbie were debating premier Dwight Ball.

The event Thursday morning, organized by Memorial University, was the first chance the pair had to go head to head.

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During the hour and a half debate, both railed against Ball and the governing Liberals, mentioning that party by name at least 14 times.

They only specifically mentioned the Progressive Conservative party they're running to lead four times.

Crosbie admitted that more unites the two candidates than divides them.

"There is a core of common values because we are members of the Progressive Conservative party," he said, pointing out they're both fiscally conservative and socially progressive.

After that, he said it comes down to each candidate's work and life experience.

Tony Wakeham said both candidates are really after the same goal.

"Obviously our focus is on defeating our Liberal government, we have different ways of going about that," he said.

Wakeham challenged Crosbie on a few of his ideas, including a plan to require politicians to not break election promises with threat of penalty, and to enshrine in law a maximum deficit.

'Deep state'

During the debate Crosbie criticized Nalcor, using a term favoured by U.S. President Donald Trump and right wing factions in the United States.

"Nalcor acts as the deep state," he said during the debate.

The term is used to describe entrenched bureaucracy in the U.S., that Trump accuses of secretly working to subvert him.

Crosbie said it applies well to Nalcor.

"Nalcor has all the knowledge and all the power," he said.

"And instead of the politicians instructing Nalcor, it's Nalcor instructing the politicians. This is not healthy."

Crosbie said the Crown energy corporation needs to be "reconstructed" and he said the province should look at selling its holdings in offshore oil projects.

"I don't disagree with Mr. Crosbie's analysis of the Nalcor piece, on the governance piece. I think that we truly need to look at how we appoint people to the board of Nalcor and change it," said Wakeham.

"It appears at times to be nothing more than a political process."