Where do local candidates stand on issues important to constituents in the federal election? More than 50 people turned up to find out on Tuesday night in Lloydminster. The Lloydminster Chamber of Commerce hosted the event which began with a forum for candidates in the Battlefords-Lloydminster riding followed by those running in the Vegreville-Wainwright riding.
Candidates began with an opportunity to spend four minutes each introducing themselves and their reasons for wanting to represent the riding in Ottawa. Members of the audience were invited to write questions down on pieces of paper provided to them as they entered the Lakeland College Cafeteria. Throughout the forum members of the chamber of commerce watched the crowd and picked up the papers delivering them to the moderator's table. Some of the questions were directed to all of the candidates while others were directed to a specific person. Answers had to be kept to one minute. Candidates were given another two minutes at the end of the session to give closing comments.
During the Saskatchewan portion of the evening Gerry Ritz of the Conservatives, Glenn Tait of the NDP and Norbert Kratchmer of the Green Party presented their ideas while Liberal Candidate Jordan LaPlante's chair sat empty. Questions from the crowd showed concern about nuclear power generation and waste storage, positions on sentencing those found not criminally responsible, a possible coalition government, funding increases for Friendship Centres and old age pensions, carbon capture, environmental monitoring, jobs, preservatives in foods, health care workers, failure to reform the senate, MP salaries and pensions, the gun registry, fighter jets and the Canadian Wheat Board. Candidates were quick to offer their opinions and party platforms. In their closing statements candidates summed up their positions and asked for votes.
"I'm here to say I'm giving you something to vote for instead of against and, under the first past the post system all we ever see is Liberals and Conservatives getting in, we need to switch now to proportional representation. It works in other countries, and we're the party that's serious against nuclear," said Kratchmer.
"If you want to support the Green Party, that's fine, give them money but vote for me; if you want to support the Liberals, give them money but vote for me. The New Democrats are the only people in Battlefords-Lloydminster positioned anywhere near being able to take over from the Conservative Party and we deserve better than the Conservatives in the Battlefords-Lloydminster," said Tait.
"I think the general consensus is that in order to afford strong social programs, we have to have a strong economy so I'm asking for your help. Please send a strong majority Conservative government back to Ottawa allow us to continue with the second phase of Canada's economic action plan," said Ritz.
Leana Ross, chair of the chamber of commerce's political action committee and forum host, ended the presentation by thanking those in attendance and especially the candidates for their commitment and courage to offer options on election day.
