Westlock residents responded to Wednesday’s election forum with praise for the candidates, but a burning desire to see more questions answered.
Event moderator Doug Whistance-Smith said the forum was a chance for voters to get to know the candidates in the run up to the May 5 provincial election. All three candidates attended the April 22 event — PC incumbent Maureen Kubinec, Wildrose candidate Glenn van Dijken and NDP hopeful Tristan Turner.
“This is an interview for a job and everyone should consider it as interviewing the candidates,” he said.
Aaron Debusschere, who said he was leaning towards the Wildrose, felt the speakers were more style than substance and that the experience hadn’t changed his voting intentions.
“I think there was too much rhetoric and not much of the questions were answered,” he said.
Debusschere said economic management and gay/straight alliances (GSA) were two of the issues that he was most concerned with.
“There was a lot of beating around the bush there too [on GSAs] and I don’t think anybody answered that, except the NDP.”
Carling Montgomery is a teacher and was positive about the forum, although it had failed to change the way she was planning on voting.
“I thought it was impressive,” she said. “Two of these are new candidates that haven’t done much of this before and I though both of them did really well. All three of them did really well.”
Montgomery said proper funding of the education system was important to her.
“I think it’s good that they want to protect teaching staff, but teachers need supports too. Support staff are a huge part of what makes schools great and successful.”
Paul Tavener said he was undecided which way he’d cast his ballot before the forum and was still unclear at the end, although it had given him things to think about.
“It’s made me think a lot more of the candidates and of the parties and their platforms,” he said. “I was impressed by the delivery of the information of each candidate. They seemed very succinct and all answered the questions very well.”
