Oct 07, 2008 - 03:54 PM

By Jillian Follert

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OSHAWA -- Local Conservative candidates have refused to answer a City questionnaire on Oshawa's waterfront, offering up an excuse Mayor John Gray calls "flimsy" and "disappointing."

Last week the City put candidates in the Oshawa, Whitby-Oshawa and Durham ridings on the hot seat, asking them to answer a series of 12 yes or no questions on the waterfront, including whether they support a proposal to build an ethanol plant at the port.

The questions were drafted by City staff and members of council's Political Strategy Team (PST), a trio comprised of Mayor Gray and councillors Brian Nicholson and Nester Pidwerbecki.

Councillors and City staff welcomed the release of David Crombie's report on the future of the waterfront last month, but are concerned the federal government hasn't made any commitment to implement his recommendations or laid out time frames or funding promises. The councillors and staff were hoping to use the survey to get concrete commitments.

The three Conservative incumbents -- Oshawa's Dr. Colin Carrie, Whitby-Oshawa's Jim Flaherty and Durham riding's Bev Oda -- refused to provide answers, instead submitting a joint letter to the mayor that says they can't respond because the copy of the City's submission to David Crombie candidates received has several lines blacked out.

"Unfortunately, it is impossible for us to comment on the City of Oshawa's position paper," the letter reads. "In reviewing the package that City staff put together, we note that significant sections of the City of Oshawa's position paper are blacked out. Assessing and commenting on its recommendations would be irresponsible. Our view is that no candidate is capable of providing a meaningful and informed perspective with such materials and we trust that our Liberal, NDP and other opponents would not be so foolish as to do so."

¨ The questionnaire package candidates received included a copy of the City's submissions to Mr. Crombie, a copy of the Crombie Report released last month and a comparative analysis of the two as background information for the candidates.

The City's five-page submission to Mr. Crombie had three small sections blacked out by the City's legal department, with references to sections 10, 11 and 12 of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Those sections apply to third-party information, economic interests and solicitor-client privilege, respectively.

"When you put your name on a ballot, people expect to know where you stand." Mayor Gray said, noting the City was able to formulate its position on the waterfront without reading what other stakeholders submitted to Mr. Crombie. "Candidates for the Greens, Liberals and NDP all sent in responses of 'Let's do something,' and 'Doing nothing is unacceptable.' The Conservatives refused to complete their surveys. These candidates, who are in fact the three incumbent candidates, offer excuses in defence of doing nothing."

The mayor said the blacked-out information pertains to litigation over a proposed harbour rail spur, a piece of contaminated private property and the rezoning application for the proposed ethanol plant -- none of which should impact a candidate's ability to answer the questions, he stressed.

Apparently the other candidates agreed with him -- six of the remaining nine candidates responded by the deadline. Oshawa Liberal candidate Dr. Sean Godfrey, Oshawa NDP candidate Mike Shields, Oshawa Green candidate Pat Gostlin, Whitby-Oshawa Liberal candidate Brent Fullard, Durham Liberal candidate Bryan Ransom and Whitby-Oshawa Green candidate Doug Anderson submitted nearly identical answers, supporting the City's vision for the waterfront.

Whitby-Oshawa NDP candidate Dave Purdy, Durham NDP candidate Andrew McKeever -- who has since dropped out of the race -- and Durham Green candidate Stephen Leahy did not respond by the deadline.