Hosted by the Ajax-Pickering Board of Trade and attended by about 50 people last Wednesday, the six hopefuls stuck to the party line while answering questions.

Kevin Norng, the Christian Heritage Party candidate, said the CHP is the only pro-life, pro-family party.

"Our social, moral policies worked in the past and will work in the future."

One of the CHP's main planks is to "eliminate the federal income tax and replace it with a sales tax," Mr. Norng said.

Green candidate Mike Harilaid joked about his positions, saying, "I've never hugged a tree and I don't wear hemp pants."

Developing a sustainable economy is the basis of the Green Party, he said, adding families are usually left to pick up the tab of election promises made by political parties.

Rick Johnson, the Conservative candidate, spoke of his community involvement, saying that "building on our community, you need someone in caucus. We need a strong voice in Ottawa.

"Our plan, a Canadian plan, is to lower taxes. The Liberals' plan is higher taxes," Mr. Johnson said.

"The first thing we need in this campaign is honesty," Liberal Mark Holland said. "The Conservative saying the Liberals will hurt the economy is blatantly false.

"We want to lower taxes," he said, adding even conservatives in the United States are pushing for a carbon-based tax.

"Conservative orthodoxy led to the problems in the U.S.," Mr. Holland said.

Stephanie Wilson, a Pickering resident running for the Libertarian Party, said her party doesn't believe in handouts.

"We're fiscally conservative and socially liberal," she said. "If you like fiscal conservatism, but you also like social liberalism, the Libertarians are the best of both worlds."

"This election is about deciding who will put you and your family first," said Bala Thavarajasoorier, the New Democratic Party hopeful. "Stephen Harper has made it clear who they will put first. It's the boardroom table, not the kitchen table."

"We need change for the better. The Conservatives and Liberals have run out of ideas," Mr. Thavarajasoorier said. "Stephen Harper is borrowing or stealing ideas to run over our beautiful country."

"You don't have to vote to necessarily win," Ms. Wilson said. "Send a vote for your values and beliefs. You don't have to choose left or right. You can choose forward."

Mr. Holland defended the party's Green Shift plan, saying, "Just because it's difficult to explain something in 10 seconds doesn't mean it's not a good idea."

People should think about the future and think "Who did I vote for?" Mr. Harilaid said. "The shift to a green economy, a new model, is something we can do together. What message can you send? What did Ajax and Pickering do to make the world better?"

"We need a strong voice in caucus," Mr. Johnson said. "To make the country better, the only way to do it is to have a strong person in caucus. Who do you trust in uncertain economic times?" he asked.

"Wouldn't you rather have someone who lives his life based on timeless principles?" Mr. Norng asked.