Federal election: Tempers flare (again) between Liberal, Conservative in Oxford

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The Conservative in search of re-election as MP within the Southwestern Ontario using of Oxford has drawn hearth from his Liberal opponent over lacking a debate, the newest conflict between the 2 within the marketing campaign’s closing days.

Liberal candidate David Hilderley ripped Arpan Khanna, who’s in search of a second time period as MP within the using east of London, after the latter missed a debate held in Ingersoll by Unifor Native 88, which represents auto employees.

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“Arpan Khanna doesn’t respect the individuals of Oxford sufficient to point out up at this specific debate in Ingersoll,” Hilderley wrote on social media Thursday evening. “On Monday we now have an opportunity to ship Arpan Khanna a robust and closing message: Oxford deserves higher.”

In an electronic mail assertion on Friday, Khanna mentioned Hilderley was persevering with to “disparage” Khanna’s marketing campaign and fascinating in disinformation, including he’d participated in a earlier Rogers televised debate and had a decent schedule as election day nears.

“I’ve at all times valued open conversations with the residents of Oxford County,” Khanna mentioned in his assertion. “With solely days remaining within the marketing campaign, my schedule is full because of long-standing commitments, and we have been unable to take part within the debate regardless of our greatest efforts.”

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Hilderley additionally took a jab at Khanna for lacking the 2023 version of the controversy throughout that 12 months’s byelection, noting Khanna “as soon as once more (in 2025) selected to not present up on the Native 88 debate.”

Khanna beforehand mentioned he was “barred from collaborating by organizers” within the 2023 Unifor Native 88 debate, which an occasion official denied on the time.

The candidates traded barbs earlier this week when Hilderley accused Khanna of “divisive and fear-mongering politics” and a “disinformation and smear marketing campaign” after a letter signed by Khanna was circulated to a number of Oxford County church buildings suggesting the Liberal authorities intends to finish the tax-exempt standing for locations of worship.

Hilderley mentioned “as an individual of religion” he would by no means assist laws that eliminates charitable standing from church buildings or different locations of worship.

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Khanna shot again at Hilderley’s assertions the Conservative candidate was spreading misleading data.

“If David Hilderley has an issue with this place, he ought to take it up along with his fellow Liberals,” Khanna mentioned, arguing it was Hilderley’s marketing campaign that has been “centered on spreading falsehoods.”

Khanna is in search of re-election within the longtime Tory stronghold after beating Hilderley within the 2023 byelection. He succeeded veteran Conservative MP Dave MacKenzie following his retirement from politics after holding the Oxford seat for practically twenty years.

A Conservative nomination course of fraught with controversy adopted MacKenzie’s retirement, after which MacKenzie took the unusual step of endorsing Hilderley and the Liberals.

Along with Khanna and Hilderley, the poll in Oxford contains Matthew Chambers (NDP), Jacob Watson (Christian Heritage), Steven Beausoleil (Folks’s Occasion), Cheryle Baker (Inexperienced), Melanie Van Brugge (United Occasion) and Ashkay Varun Raj Vardhan (Unbiased).

[email protected]@BrianWatLFPress

The Native Journalism Initiative is funded by the Authorities of Canada

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