Debate neither decided the election nor solved any problems in Ontario

The head to head rock them sock them that was the Ontario election debate, proudly brought to you by the broadcasting consortium, between all three major party leaders at Queen's Park did not decide the election. Nor did it solve any problems in the province, either in the areas of democratic, fiscal, social, ecological, cultural, economic or constitutional renewals or reforms, at the personal or community levels. It left us all with more essential questions, possibly, than substantial answers on the question of responsibility and who actually wants to lead and take some instead of dishing it out and leaving it on the table just to get cold.

Obviously, we did not expect all of Ontario's problems to be decided in a couple hours, or even major policy decisions to be agreed to in such a format where well rehearsed talking points partisanly were the name of the game, but we did expect an inordinate amount of decorum to properly think, deliberation to properly speak and responsiveness to properly rebut the answers to the question with one's good communication skills.

Respect in these areas left much to be desired, which is why that debate yesterday neither decided the election, nor solved any problems in Ontario therein. On the extreme other hand, at an all candidates' debate in Owen Sound held tonight, seven candidates vying for the seat in the Bruce Grey Owen Sound riding agreed on the need for a brand new local decision making mechanism versus the current centralization mentality of, by and for Toronto as the rural urban divide widens the growing gap on issues like health care, education and energy. This regional idea originally lead before the election campaign even started of course by Independent Shane Jolley, who actually has not only taken the lead on this issue as the founder and coordinator with the Local Motive Project in 2006, but has also taken responsibility to further the role of the riding in a responsible mix between direct and representative democracy for Bruce Grey Owen Sound.