Article content continued

Ratti pointed to national polls that have shown the NDP in the lead and said the party is poised to form government after the Oct. 19 federal election. That makes it important to have representation from the city, she said.

Calgary has not elected a non-conservative MP in more than four decades but Calgary Centre is seen as a major target for the Liberals and NDP.

Crockatt won a 2012 byelection with only 37 per cent of the vote, narrowly edging out Liberal Harvey Locke.

Photo by Colleen De Neve / Calgary Herald

Hehr, a former MLA who represented part of the area provincially, said the Conservative government has gone too slow in helping with flood mitigation projects for the riding, which was devastated in 2013’s massive flood.

“It will happen again if we don’t get infrastructure investments due this city that allow us to prepare for the next flood,” he said.

With both the Canadian and Alberta economies hit hard by plunging oil prices, questions from the debate organizers focused on the economy and government finances.

Hehr touted the Liberal plan for a middle-class tax cut and plans for a new Canadian Child Benefit while Ratti spoke of the NDP proposal to cut taxes on small businesses.

Both the Liberal and New Democrat called for increased infrastructure spending, as did the Green’s Boonlert.

Boonlert said the Greens want to create an “army” of tradespeople to work on making buildings energy efficient.

“That is responsible for 30 per cent of the carbon emissions in Canada,” he said.