Mississauga mayoral candidates admitted their debate got “out of control” on Thursday night, with heated exchanges that at times were more personal than about policy.
asserted
that → admit → policy
Incumbent Carolyn Parrish was joined by rivals former mayor Bonnie Crombie and current councillors Alvin Tedjo and Dipika Damerla at the Food Banks Mississauga headquarters for a debate broadcast by CityNews and moderated by reporter Mark McAllister.
asserted
Parrish → join → McAllister
Asked after the debate about a jab from Parrish referring to the return of the “blonde bombshell” to city hall, Crombie said the comment was “demeaning” and an example of an increasingly “mean-spirited” campaign.
asserted
comment → ask → campaign
Parrish said she felt she had to defend herself in the face of accusations from Crombie that she never leaves her desk.
asserted
she → say → desk
“She was yelling at everybody else, and I had to get a word in as well,” Parrish said.
asserted
Parrish → yell → word
Both agreed that the debate got “out of control” at some points.
asserted
debate → agree → points
Insults fly as debate heats up
The candidates sparred with each other on a wide range of subjects, from police budgets to housing policy, becoming increasingly pointed as the night progressed.
asserted
night → fly → policy
Parrish has frequently been attacked by Crombie and Tedjo for her decision to resign from the Peel police board, a decision she has said was necessary so she could advocate against significant Peel police budget increase requests that are funded by property taxes.
uncertain
that → attack → taxes
After Crombie accused Parrish of quitting, Tedjo interjected: “You quit on all of us,” citing Crombie leaving her job as mayor to run for premier as Liberal leader.
asserted
Crombie → accuse → leader
Incumbent mayor claims she has convinced Premier Doug Ford to change the Peel police funding formula.
uncertain
she → claim → formula
Incumbent mayor claims she has convinced Premier Doug Ford to change the Peel police funding formula.
uncertain
she → claim → formula
Premier Doug Ford “dislikes you so much, if you accidentally win this race, he won’t change the formula for you,” said Parrish to Crombie, referring to the formula that divides policing costs between Mississauga and Brampton and which all candidates say is unfair.
asserted
candidates → dislike → Mississauga
In another exchange, Parrish noted Crombie failed to win a seat in Mississauga during the provincial election, and criticized Crombie’s trip to the Paris Air Show in 2019 as mayor — which Crombie said was a key part of attracting businesses, including Bombardier, to Mississauga.
asserted
Crombie → note → Mississauga
As Crombie accused Parrish of never leaving her office, Parrish fired back: “I show up to everything that’s significant to our city, not just in a pretty dress and dancing around in high heels.”
asserted
that → accuse → heels
Crombie said: “Sometimes you have to leave your office, go meet people and convince them that this is the right place to invest to create jobs.”
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this → say → jobs
Parrish snapped back: “You actually have to show some leadership.
asserted
You → snap → leadership
Our staff is terrified that the blonde bombshell is coming back.”
asserted
bombshell → terrify → ?
The two also clashed over housing, with Parrish claiming Mississauga’s development roadblocks were greatly reduced under her watch in part due to a housing task force comprised of top developers.
asserted
roadblocks → clash → developers
“I wouldn’t do that.
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I → do → that
This city is not being run by developers,” Crombie replied.
asserted
Crombie → run → developers
At the end of the debate, the candidates took a breath.
asserted
candidates → take → breath
“My blood pressure is up,” said Parrish, adding it was just a joke.
asserted
it → say → ?
“I have perfect blood pressure.”
asserted
I → have → pressure
Does Mississauga need an auditor general?
asserted
Mississauga → need → general
The candidates fought over the issue of Mississauga getting its own auditor general.
asserted
Mississauga → fight → general
Damerla has called for a Mississauga auditor general, similar to Toronto’s and one installed recently in the Peel Region.
asserted
Damerla → call → Region
She criticized Parrish for not supporting a city-level auditor general when it was proposed at council, which prompted Parrish to respond that the Peel auditor general can audit Mississauga.
asserted
general → criticize → Mississauga
Mayoral candidate Bonnie Crombie wants to extend Toronto’s Line 2 subway to Mississauga’s city centre.
asserted
Crombie → want → centre
Mayoral candidate Bonnie Crombie wants to extend Toronto’s Line 2 subway to Mississauga’s city centre.
asserted
Crombie → want → centre
Peel’s auditor general, Nick Stavropoulos, disagrees.
asserted
general → disagree → ?
In an email, he said his office was established to “provide independent, objective assurance over how Peel Region manages public resources.
asserted
Region → say → resources
“The Auditor General does not have authority to conduct audits of programs or services delivered by Peel Region’s lower-tier municipalities (Brampton, Caledon or Mississauga),” he said.
asserted
he → have → municipalities
Crombie supported Damerla’s push for an auditor general, prompting Parrish to say she had 10 years to install one when she was mayor.
asserted
she → support → one
Candidates clash over ‘cockamamie’ tax pitch
Taxes were also a flashpoint Thursday night.
asserted
Taxes → clash → pitch
Parrish has come under fire from her challengers for high property tax increases during her tenure, which she has attributed largely to the increasing Peel police budget.
asserted
she → come → budget
Both she and Crombie agreed freezing taxes, as Tedjo is proposing, is unrealistic.
asserted
Tedjo → agree → taxes
They say that would mean service cuts to programs such as windrow clearings — something Parrish has touted as a key achievement — or higher property taxes in future years.
asserted
Parrish → say → years
“It’s very nice to say we’re going to freeze seniors’ taxes,” said Parrish.
asserted
Parrish → ’ → taxes
“Someone else has to pick that share up, young people with families.”
asserted
Someone → have → families
Tedjo is also proposing a program to allow seniors to get a permanent freeze on their property taxes, with the deferred amount taken by the city at the time their home is sold.
asserted
home → propose → time
…and 4 more, not listed.
The Aporia
