The YourTV Cornwall Federal Debate held on April 10, 2025, gave voters in Stormont–Dundas–Glengarry a clear view of where federal candidates stand on major national and local issues ahead of the April 28 election.
Moderated by Todd Lalonde and sponsored by the Cornwall & Area Chamber of Commerce, the in-studio 3-hour debate was recorded without an in-person audience and aired live on YourTV Cornwall. It was also streamed on YouTube, drawing approximately 500 views during the live streaming, and the recording is available to watch at any time. Community members were invited to submit questions in advance, helping to shape the evening’s discussion.
The debate opened with remarks from each of the four candidates eligible to participate: incumbent and Conservative candidate Eric Duncan, Liberal candidate and Cornwall city councillor Sarah Good, Green Party candidate Gordon Kubanek, and Mario Leclerc of the NDP. A pre-recorded segment with Libertarian candidate Karl Ivan MacKinnon was also aired during the broadcast, as his party was not eligible to participate in the live debate.
One of the most pointed exchanges of the evening focused on interprovincial trade barriers and Canada’s economic dependence on the United States. Duncan criticized the Liberal government for failing to act on trade issues, saying, “We have a Canada Free Trade Agreement that’s 350 pages long—120 of those are exemptions. After nine and a half years, the Liberals get an A for announcements and an F for follow-through.” Good countered that the federal government, now under the leadership of Mark Carney, is actively addressing trade diversification. “Sometimes it takes a crisis to address aproblem,” she said. “We’re finally having these vital conversations, and we’re diversifying trade beyond the U.S. to protect Canadian workers and industries.”
Kubanek emphasized the need to move beyond pipelines and invest in a national electrical grid. “We have massive power reserves,” he said, advocating for long-term economic sustainability. Leclerc, meanwhile, stressed the need to protect Canadian industries and jobs. “We want to protect and grow union jobs,” he said. “Supply management is not for sale.”
Economic recovery and cost of living were recurring themes throughout the debate. Duncan proposed eliminating the carbon tax and revising the federal tax code. “We need a fairer, simpler system that supports productivity,” he said, also calling for expanded trades training and removing red tape for job creation. Good responded by highlighting Liberal commitments to skilled trades subsidies and small business grants. “We’ve eased EI requirements and are subsidizing apprenticeships,” she said. “We’re preparing workers for a changing economy.”
That discussion quickly dovetailed into one of the sharper exchanges of the evening, as candidates clashed over the effectiveness of the federal carbon tax. Duncan argued that the tax had failed to deliver results, stating, “Despite having a carbon tax, emissions went up… all their promises that this would solve the problem, it did not do what it said it was going todo.”
Good pushed back, calling the notion that the carbon tax was responsible for rising emissions “absolutely ridiculous,” and emphasized the need to fight the fossil fuel industry’s push for more consumption. Green Party candidate Gordon Kubanek criticized both major parties for failing to meet climate targets, saying, “Not only is our emissions increasing, the rate of ouremissions are increasing… they don’t walk the talk.”
Leclerc proposed broader social safety net measures, including universal pharmacare, improved EI benefits, and increased tax exemptions. “We want to remove the GST from essentials and lift seniors out of poverty,” he said. Kubanek criticized both major parties for neglecting long-term planning. “We’ve had short-term thinking for decades,” he said. “Our productivity is stagnant, and innovation is being stifled.”
The discussion around infrastructure brought local concerns into sharper focus. Good, speaking from her experience on Cornwall City Council, pointed to the urgent need for stable and flexible funding. While Duncan stressed performance-based funding for municipalities, noting, “We’ll reward communities that exceed housing targets. If you’re delivering results,you’ll get the support you need.”
Good went on the offensive, criticizing a statement by Pierre Poilievre. “The leader of the Conservative Party has on record called municipal levels of government greedy, incompetent and money hungry… I cannot believe that the man standing next to me (Eric Duncan)… would be satisfied with that”
Leclerc advocated for a permanent public transit fund to improve rural mobility, while Kubanek proposed redirecting federal tax revenues like the gas tax or HST directly to municipalities. “The feds shouldn’t make municipalities beg for money,” he said. “Give them control over their infrastructure destiny.”
The housing crisis also drew sharply contrasting approaches. Good defended federal investment in modular and affordable housing, arguing, “We can’t rely on the private sector alone to solve this crisis.” Duncan argued instead for market-driven solutions, including removing the GST on new home sales and curbing development fees. “People ask what can the governemnt do,” he said. “We need to get out of the way and let the private sector build.” Leclerc suggested using Crown land for affordable rental developments, and Kubanek proposed a return to co-operative housing models.
Despite their differences, candidates largely agreed on the importance of promoting domestic tourism amid growing concerns over travel to the United States. Good promoted the Liberals’ plan for free admission to national parks and new funding for marine reserves. Duncan praised local tourism efforts and called for increased international advertising and better access through direct flights. Leclerc emphasized affordability and public transit, while Kubanek said Canada’s global image as a welcoming and safe destination could become a key advantage.
While policy differences were evident, the debate offered a clear view of each candidate’s leadership style and priorities as they vie to represent Stormont–Dundas–Glengarry in Parliament.
Following the broadcast, the Cornwall and District Labour Council issued a notice to local media inviting the public to attend an in-person all-candidates debate on April 16 at 6:00 p.m. at the Cornwall Public Library—giving voters another opportunity to engage directly with those seeking their vote.
