Kathleen Wynne challenges Doug Ford to at least 3 debates before June election
Ford accepts the challenge in a tweet while taking a dig at the sentencing of Liberal aide David Livingston
Kathleen Wynne has challenged her biggest rival to three televised debates as the June 7 election date closes in.
In a letter addressed to Progressive Conservative leader Doug Ford Wednesday, the Ontario premier says the debates will allow for "direct, unscripted discussions of the issues that confront our province's future."
The letter outlines two different instances in which Ford indicated an interest in taking Wynne on.
"On March 12, you told media you could barely wait to discuss our competing plans saying...'she's good at what she does but she's never debated Doug Ford before,'" Wynne wrote.
"Last week on April 5th, you went even further and told media, that you expected, 'there are going to be two or three televised debates,'" the letter noted.
Ford tweeted out his response on Wednesday, taking a shot at the Liberal's over the sentencing of David Livingston, the former aide to Wynne's Liberal predecessor in the premier's office, Dalton McGuinty.
I accept Kathleen Wynne’s challenge to three televised debates. Let’s do the first one outside the jail where the senior Liberal operative will be spending 4-months.
—@fordnation"We are not going to take lessons on transparency from the Liberals," PC spokesperson Melissa Lantsman said in an email.
The premier's challenge comes hours before she is expected to face off against Andrea Horwath, leader of the provincial NDP, and Mike Schreiner, leader of Ontario's Green Party, in a debate organized by a coalition of community groups at the Jamaican Canadian Association.
Ford turned down an invitation to the debate last week, saying he'd be touring northern Ontario when the event is held, but it was his comments to reporters about his relationship with the black community that garnered the most reaction.
"There's no other politician in this country, no other politician outside of Rob Ford, that has supported the black community more than I have," he told reporters last Thursday.
When asked for some examples, Ford said, "I brought 80 kids from the black community up to my cottage, every single year for the last three years. We have a great time," said Ford, calling the event the highlight of his summer.
Ford also commented on his eagerness to engage the premiere at the time. "I look forward to debating Kathleen Wynne any time, but right now we're travelling," he said.