10 January 2006

Martin wins: NLSDU judges

Judges at a fundraiser for the Newfoundland and Labrador Speech and Debate Union (NLSDU) awarded the debate tonight to Paul Martin.

Steve Harper and Gilles Duceppe tied for first in the opinion of judge Liam O'Brien.

Defining moments for your humble e-scribbler and NLSDU judge:

- Paul Martin pledges to remove the notwithstanding clause from the Constitution; Harper wants to keep it just as it, for some unspecified reason.

- Harper scored the only factual errors, claiming that Canada has had a handgun ban for decades and that provinces have jurisdiction in international affairs.

- Harper has a hard time explaining his own tax plan.

- Jack Layton alternates between running for third place with the third option mantra and channelling Lilo and Stitch: no one gets left behind or forgotten.

- Gilles Duceppe keeps pushing what will prove to be a fourth rate book by a fourth rate scribbler, namely Normand Lester.