Federal election 2015: Malpeque candidates' roundtable

The issue of free votes on abortion brought a heated discussion to the Malpeque candidates' roundtable on Island Morning Thursday.

Like other Conservative candidates at the Island Morning roundtables, it was Stephen Stewart who raised the issue.

"Abortion at least the Conservatives can have free votes on this issue," he said.

The Green, Liberals and NDP candidates all expressed their personal pro-choice views. Liberal Wayne Easter said party leader Justin Trudeau's announcement that all candidates would have to support the Liberal pro-choice platform was not an issue for him.

"I always have been pro-choice so it's an easy choice for me," said Easter.

NDP candidate Leah-Jane Hayward said there was little point in the discussion.

"It's a moot point, really, because the Supreme Court says it's a legal medical procedure," said Hayward.

Green Party candidate Lynne Lund took Stewart to task for raising the issue.

"This is a classic Conservative move, to take an issue that is divisive and throw it out there on the table," said Lund.

Lund went on to say the real issue is gaining an understanding of why women choose to have abortions.

"People need to know they have a safe and secure place to raise your child," she said.

Stewart did not say if he personally is pro-choice or anti-abortion.

EI zones need change

All the candidates agreed that some of the recent changes to employment insurance could use improvement, though some expressed their opinions more strongly than others.

"We need to make substantive changes to the employment insurance system that has been really gutted," said Easter.

Hayward described talking to a restaurant owner in North Rustico who lost workers because they lived in Charlottetown. Under EI rezoning of the province, living in Charlottetown means they require more work than someone living in North Rustico, regardless of where they work.

Hayward said the restaurant owner was having trouble finding qualified replacements.

Stewart agreed there were issues with the rezoning, adding that Conservative Leader Stephen Harper agreed there were issues after the two looked at the zoning map together.

"I want to be there to help fix this," he said.

"This was done to protect Gail Shea. We all know that," Easter retorted, referring to the Conservative incumbent in Egmont, who has been P.E.I.'s representative in the federal cabinet. All of the Egmont riding falls into the new EI zone, where fewer weeks of work are necessary to qualify.

"That was done by the prime minister you are trying to represent," said Easter.

Stewart supported some of the other changes the Conservatives have made to EI, saying it meant more money coming to the Island.

"People need to be careful what they ask to be reversed," he said.

'The niqab is not the biggest issue facing Canadians'

Stewart had the other candidates riled up again during a discussion of whether women should be allowed to wear the niqab during citizenship ceremonies.

"The niqab is not the biggest issue facing Canadians," said Lund.

But Stewart said he had been hearing about it a lot on the doorstep.

"People do feel if you're going to come into our country then you should have to show your face to come in," he said.

While Stewart felt it was an important issue, the other three candidates agreed the Conservatives were simply using it to stir up emotions.

"It is very divisive for this country," said Hayward.

"It shows racism as far as I'm concerned and that's the way the PMO is running."

Easter said he hasbeen hearing about the niqab, but doesn'tbelieve people thinkit isa major issue.

"By driving this wedge issue thatgets people's emotions but it's not going to do much for the country's future you can turn an election on an emotional issue like that," he said.

Lund criticized the Conservative Party for using the niquab issue in an effort to get votes.

"No political gain is worth dividing the country this way," she said.

"Stephen Harper is saying this is about women's rights, but if this was actually about women's rights wouldn't we have started an inquiry into the missing and murdered indigenous women and girls in the country?"

Hayward pointed out that women wearing the niqab do need to show their faces and confirm their identity in private before taking part in the public ceremony.

• Conservatives again looking for breakthrough in Malpeque

• Read a recap of the roundtable here