Send this page to someone via email

Ontario’s three main party leaders are set to duke it out in a debate Tuesday evening. We were going to suggest a drinking game but worried about giving you all liver failure. So here, instead, is a list of phrases to watch for over the course of tonight’s debate.

LIVE: Coverage of the Ontario leaders’ debate, starting at 6:30 p.m. ET

READ MORE: Your questions, their answers: Ontario leaders square off in debate

“Million Jobs Plan” Tweet This

“Government that makes sense” Tweet This

Story continues below advertisement

Sounds like a Mike Harris throwback, but this is actually an NDP slogan.

Who’ll say it: Andrea Horwath

Andrea Horwath Why: The implication is that her plan is what makes sense to your average Joe Ontarian – as opposed to the other candidates, who make no sense.

“Government as a power for good” Tweet This

(or variations on this theme)

Makes you feel all warm and fuzzy, right?

Who’ll say it: Kathleen Wynne

Kathleen Wynne Why: Much of Wynne’s plan displays an interventionist, redistribution-of-wealth streak. Plus she wants Ontarians to think of their ruling party as something other than a gas plant bogeyman.

They were cancelled. You may have heard.

Who’ll say it: Hudak and Horwath, at every possible opportunity.

Hudak and Horwath, at every possible opportunity. Why: To remind voters of that most unpopular and damning of Liberal scandals, the fallout from their mid-campaign cancellation of gas plants in Oakville and Mississauga.

Yikes. Corruption is bad.

Who’ll say it: Hudak and Horwath. A lot, probably.

Hudak and Horwath. A lot, probably. Why: To cast the Liberals in a less-than-laudatory light, à la gas plants, MaRS, Ornge…

Not the planet, sadly, but the Discovery District’s multi-million-dollar construction project, which the Liberals are apparently buying out for about $317 million.

Who’ll say it: Hudak.

Hudak. Why: In the days since his party leaked the documents, he’s been painting this as yet another hidden Liberal boondoggle and misuse of government funds.

Story continues below advertisement

In case “MaRS” sounds too benign.

Who’ll say it: Hudak.

Hudak. Why: See “MaRS” above.

“Mistakes were made” Tweet This

Because no one does passive voice like a politician.

Who’ll say it: Wynne

Wynne Why: It’s become one of her most oft-repeated lines (along, to her credit, with “sorry”) regarding gas plants. Translation: Someone made mistakes but I swear it wasn’t me also I wasn’t even Premier now can we PLEASE talk about something else?

Everyone likes to think of themselves as middle class, even though the definition of “middle class” is a horrifically tricky one to agree on.

Who’ll say it : Everyone.

: Everyone. Why: It’s become code for the Average Joe politicians are there to fight for, duh. Because they care.

See “Middle-class Ontarians,” above.

How this became shorthand for Evil Organized Labour we’re still not sure. But why not.

Who’ll say it: Hudak

Hudak Why: It’s a way of playing on class resentment and the conviction that that the other guy gets a better job deal than you, as well as quashing critiques that Hudak’s plan will go after organized labour, contracts and benefits.

Because who doesn’t like leadership, right?

Who’ll say it: Everyone

Everyone Why: Because she/he is a leader, duh. And the other two are not.

“Doesn’t add up” Tweet This

Story continues below advertisement

The other guys’ platforms, that is.

Who’ll say it: Everyone

Everyone Why: There’s been no shortage of numbers thrown around, many of them dubious. But this is also a quick, easy way to discredit your opponent’s policies.

Just about everyone gives the government money: You want them to play nice with it, right?

Who’ll say it: Everyone, but Hudak and Horwath more.

Everyone, but Hudak and Horwath more. Why: While its use is universal, it’s usually accompanied by promises to spend your money really frugally, and suggestions everyone else is just throwing themselves Scrooge McDuck parties with it.

IN DEPTH: Ontario Election 2014