Candidates in a riding to watch were on stage Tuesday but the event, in the eyes of some, didn’t live up to its billing.

Candidates in St. John’s East—Liberal incumbent Nick Whalen, NDP Jack Harris and Conservative Joedy Wall—took part in a debate held by the St. John’s Board of Trade at the Bella Vista.

Despite a difference in opinions, there were no fireworks, raw emotions or gavel banging from the moderator throughout the debate. Candidates took the opportunity to share some of their party’s platforms, make promises and show what they bring to the table.

One topic all-three candidates agreed on was lowering taxes for small businesses.

Joedy Wall says we have to look at the level of taxation on small business. He says we have to introduce new technologies and industries to the province to have a larger tax base and give some of the tax break to residents who wish to start a small business.

Jack Harris says they have stood up for lower small business taxes. He says it needs to be made easier for small businesses to be passed on to the next generation. He says they would do that by changing legislation to end the unfair tax treatment for family transfers of small business.

Nick Whalen says its true people are paying more on taxation which allows them to deliver more programming and services. He says they put on average $2,000 back into the pockets of Canadians.

He says they’ve used taxation money wisely and tax rates have fallen under the Liberals. He says, for example, the tax rate on small business went from 11 per cent to 9 per cent.