Tonight the candidates for Newmarket-Aurora in the Ontario Provincial election on 6 October get together for the second of two debates. It should be a sparky event.

A poll in yesterday’s Toronto Star puts the Conservative incumbent, Frank Klees, way out in front. He has been in the job for 16 years and comes across as a silver tongued snake oil salesman.

The Liberals currently run Ontario but, after two terms in Government, there is much speculation they could lose their majority.

But to be fair, their record is not all bad.

For example, they are rolling out an ambitious “time-of-use” or smart meter programme across the province, making customers more energy conscious and taking the strain off the grid. A good idea.

Toronto has now switched over completely and most other areas will change by the turn of the year.

Despite this, Ontario’s mouthy Conservative leader, Tim Hudak, pledges to scrap the programme saying smart meters are dumb.

Hudak says “I just don’t think it’s the role of the premier of the province to lecture our seniors to get up late at night to do the laundry.”

The off-peak rate kicks in at 7pm. For early-to-bed Hudak clearly this is “late at night”.

Klees parrots the Party line, promising to “pull the plug” on smart meters.

The NDP candidate, Robin Wardlaw, backs the changeover but wants more emphasis on renewables. He speaks out against nuclear with its escalating costs and terrible perils.

At the first debate in Aurora last week, he paints a picture of a non-carbon future, telling voters that an hour of sunlight falling on the earth’s surface is enough to power the planet for a year.

Good one!

Here are some engaging clips from Kidz Kampaign TV.