Local politicians want your vote in the federal election, and now you have a chance to ask them why they deserve it.
A candidate forum will be held in the governing council chambers at Athabasca University on Wednesday, April 27. The doors will open at 6:30 p.m. with the forum getting underway at 7 p.m.
Thus far, three candidates have confirmed their attendance for the event; the Conservative’s incumbent member of parliament Brian Jean, the Liberal’s Karen Young and the Green Party’s Jule Asterisk. At press time, it was unclear if NDP candidate Berend Wilting would be participating in the forum.
Though the format and discussion points for the evening are still being discussed, each candidate will have a chance to speak to the issues that this community cares about, while debating each other on the finer points and finally ceding the floor to questions from the voters.
The forum is being organized by concerned citizens like Mike MacLean and Colleen Powell, who would like to see more members of the community take an interest in the electoral process.
“We have to bring it home that you’re a part of this process,” said MacLean, who pointed to poor voter turnout in this and other ridings in recent elections as a cause for concern.
Both MacLean and Powell hope that by holding a forum and giving community members a chance to get face to face with their potential representatives, some of that apathy will be eliminated.
Powell, who has served as the mayor of Athabasca, knows firsthand the importance of getting people involved in the political process.
“The purpose of a democracy is to explore different ideas. Even if your mind is made up, listen to what someone else has to say,” she said.
With that in mind, she looks forward to the discussion the candidates will have with themselves and their constituents. With a two-hour time frame, it won’t be possible for the candidates to touch on every single issue, but local voters who are unsure who to support will still receive plenty of information that will help them make their decision.
“The candidates need to know what the people are thinking, and the people need to know where the candidates are coming from,” said Powell.
“If there’s a good exchange of ideas, I’ll be happy.”
