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Photo by Bloom, David / Postmedia

Rival Rick Peterson, a Vancouver businessman, later criticized O’Leary for skipping a subsequent Conservative party-sponsored forum, saying “the guy who waltzed in here and cancelled on our debate, that’s bullshit … He snubs every person in this party.”

O’Leary has said he doesn’t like the debate’s format.

But the candidates — only Maxime Bernier didn’t take part — otherwise stuck to their policies and their ideas for winning the next election.

Quebec MP Blaney and Ontario MP Leitch, cabinet ministers in the Harper government, reiterated their vows to protect Canadian values, one of the key platforms of both campaigns.

Blaney would like to ban the niqab face-covering at citizenship ceremonies and Leitch wants to ensure every newcomer is interviewed by an immigration agent, something she said doesn’t happen now.

“I believe we as a nation have a shared value system.”

Other candidates focused on fiscal issues, vowing to cut taxes, reduce international and inter-provincial trade barriers, and ensure pipelines to tidewater are built to allow more overseas exports of Alberta oil.

Not surprisingly, there were also lots of jabs at the Liberals and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whom Toronto-area MP Lisa Raitt called “a lightweight.”

Raitt said her gender and background alone would help Conservatives to attract more votes if she was the leader.

“Being a female from Cape Breton who’s a mom of two … visually, there would be a different look right there,” the former transport minister said.

“I want us to be known as very professional, very effective in the House of Commons, but also open.”

The leadership vote takes place May 27 in Toronto.

Photo by Bloom, David / Postmedia

Photo by Bloom, David / Postmedia

Photo by Bloom, David / Postmedia

Photo by Bloom, David / Postmedia

gkent@postmedia.com

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