The St. Paul Senior Citizens Centre neared capacity Monday night for the all-candidates forum, featuring four candidates running in the provincial election for the Lac La Biche-St. Paul-Two Hills constituency.
The Vilna and District Chamber of Commerce hosted another forum on Tuesday, with around 50 people attending and quizzing the candidates. (For video clips from both forums, see below.)
On Monday, Shayne Saskiw, candidate for the Wildrose, introduced himself first, followed by Liberal candidate John Nowak, incumbent and PC candidate Ray Danyluk, and NDP candidate Phil Johnson.
Executive director of the St. Paul and District Chamber of Commerce, Penny Fox, estimated there were between 270 and 280 people in attendance to hear what the candidates had to say. A variety of questions were asked from the floor and as well as submitted in writing throughout the night.
Due to the high volume of questions, moderator Marvin Bjornstad stopped taking rebuttals near the end of the forum, allowing only the candidate who was specifically asked the question to respond.
As she tidied up the hall after the forum, Fox said she heard comments coming from those in attendance who that “we have four very strong candidates, not just two," said Fox. She added that organizers were hoping for about 200 people, and were pleasantly surprised by the turnout.
One of the most frequent topics candidates faced was health care, with a number of questions posed about issues and party platforms on health care. Other questions included MLA salaries and the “no-meet" committee, electricity, land rights, primary and post-secondary education, and social issues.
Candidates answer a question on the "no meet committee" and MLA pay.
Candidates answer a question on land rights.
Candidates answer a question on health care.
In Vilna, candidates answer a question on taxation.
See next week's St. Paul Journal for full coverage of the forum.
