Ontario Liberal Leader Dalton McGuinty, centre, stands on stage with women who are running for his party during a campaign event in Toronto on Sept. 26, 2011.Nathan Denette
Surrounded by female candidates, Liberal Leader Dalton McGuinty made his pitch to those at a lunch hosted by a non-profit women's business group on Monday.
He boasted that he has a record-setting 42 female candidates and brought those in the audience to the stage at the lunch, hosted by Catalyst Canada at Toronto's Fairmont Royal York.
"It's because of the leadership of women in our caucus that we've landed trade agreements with companies from around the world," said Mr. McGuinty, who added improved surgical wait times, drug reforms and public transit decisions have also been thanks to women.
Mr. McGuinty said that in his cabinet, women were responsible for almost 80 per cent of the budget, resulting in family-friendly programs and promises. He touted full-day kindergarten, increased breast-cancer screenings, tuition cuts, at-home medical care and other promises.
After thanking his wife for raising their children while continuing her teaching career, he told stories about his aging mother and his grandmother raising six daughters as a single mother. Mr. McGuinty also told the crowd his brother Brendan's son was born the night before.
The lunch, as well as a stop at Le Club Canadien de Toronto, made up Mr. McGuinty's slimmed-down campaign schedule on Monday as he prepared for Tuesday's debate. It will be the only time the three leaders will face each other in a televised debate during the election.
"As you know, tomorrow evening we're going to have the opportunity to debate in front of Ontarians," Mr. McGuinty said.
Mr. McGuinty did not go to a Northern Ontario debate attended by Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak and NDP Leader and Andrea Horwath last week.
"I look forward to getting the opportunity to compare our positive, forward-looking plan to the plans put forward by the other two," Mr. McGuinty said.
Mr. Hudak spent the day campaigning, beginning with an early morning stop at a Mississauga GO station. Before reaching stops in Waterloo and Toronto he called in to Niagara-area radio station Newstalk CKTB 610.
Mr. Hudak told the radio station he's preparing for the debate, his first provincial leaders' debate, by talking to people so he knows what issues they're talking about.
The live debate, held at CBC Television in Toronto, begins Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. with a six minute debate between Mr. Hudak and Mr. McGuinty. There will be six rounds, in which two of the three leaders will go head-to-head.