Five candidates took part in the first all-candidates debate in the Huron-Bruce riding to an audience of almost 200 people at the Holmesville Community Centre Tuesday night.
Don Matheson represented the Liberals, Lisa Thompson the Progressive Conservatives, Jan Johnstone the NDP, Ron Stephens the Libertarian Party, and Gerri Huenemoerder the Ontario Alliance.
There was general agreement on the need to improve health care throughout the province but particularly in getting doctors into rural communities and increasing funding for rural hospitals.
Libertarian Ron Stephens suggested new doctors should have to serve a rural community for five years before being free to go where they wanted to practice.
Gerri Huenemoerder of the Ontario Alliance said there was too much bureaucracy in health care.
Matheson stood by the Liberals' sale of some of the shares in Hydro One; Thompson says the Tories would give the dividends from the shares the government still owns back to the people and Johnstone said the New Democrats would buy back the shares the Liberals sold.
There was agreement on the need for high-speed internet throughout the riding, with the exception of Stephens who felt it wasn't important.
