It wasn't a debate. It was an ambush. Last night, incumbent Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca Liberal Keith Martin and Conservative candidate John Koury were lured into an all-candidate forum with New Democrat candidate Randall Garrison sponsored and attended by the Victoria Labour Council, the Public Service Alliance of Canada and several other left-leaning community associations. Also in attendance, real Green candidate Jane Sterk and independent Green candidate Jen Fisher-Bradley, a strident anti-colonialist (how's that for left-wing vote splitting). The following are some of Public Eye's notes from that event.

- Mr. Martin, who has been an MP since 1993, is an old-hand on the debate circuit. But no amount of spit and polish could make his proposal to introduce two-tiered healthcare shine for this audience. He was also the recipient of some heavy heckling from Danny Lineham, a former arts journalist who now makes hand-bound books and plans on voting New Democrat in the next election.

- Like most incumbent candidates, Mr. Martin (a former Tory who crossed the floor to become a Grit) mentioned his accomplishments as an MP, repeatedly saying "we" did this and "we" did that. But neither the audience nor Public Eye was quite sure whether the "we" he was talking about was the Conservatives, himself or the Liberals. Such are the perils of being a regal turncoat.

- Mr. Garrison, the crowd favourite, matched Mr. Martin as the best performer. But in the fashion competition, the New Democrat candidate was the hands-down winner. He blasted Mr. Martin's grey polka-dot tie with a funky brown number that contrasted nicely with his yellow dress shirt and black suite. Mr. Garrison also took responsibility for asking the moderator, on behalf of his fellow candidates, to change the format of the debate, automatically putting him in a leadership role. Clever.

- There were some weeds in Mr. Garrison's rose garden though. When asked how he would deal with a conflict between the wishes of his community and the wishes of his party, the New Democrat skated around the question, saying he would find common ground through, "dialogue not confronatation." But that wasn't good enough for Mr. Lineham, who shouted, "What's your answer?" Mr. Garrison's reply: "Dialogue is my answer." Or not, as the case may be.

- Mr. Koury, the incumbent's former executive assistant, had the toughest time during the debate - clinging to his briefing book like a Linus blanket, receiving the meekest applause and stumbling over his lines (somewhat surprising since he was the strongest speaker during the Conservative nomination battle). But, given the circumstances, he deserves credit just for showing up.