Three local organizations have organized an online candidates debate for the federal election in the Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke riding.
The event takes place on Tuesday (Sept. 7) and is released on host and other social media websites on Wednesday (Sept. 8). The forum is hosted by the Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce, Sooke Multi-Belief Initiative and West Shore Chamber of Commerce.
All six candidates in the riding will participate. The candidates are incumbent Randall Garrison (NDP), Rob Anderson (People’s Party), Laura Anne Frost (Conservative), Harley Gordon (Green), Doug Kobayashi (Liberal), and Tyson Strandlund (Communist).
All candidates will give four questions in advance with a set time to answer.
Questions are based on a political poll that surveyed Canadians on the top five issues in this election and tweaked by Sooke Multi-Belief Initiative to provide a “local lens,” said Britt Santowski, a Sooke chamber spokesperson.
“Specifically, we ask that candidates reference their party platform and avoid attacking the other party candidates and their platforms,” Santowski said.
Garrison won the Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke riding seat with 35 per cent of the popular vote in the October 2019 federal election.
Voting eligibility and methods and poll location dates and details are available at elections.ca. Advance poll locations, dates and times will also be on voting cards sent in the mail to all registered voters.
When Parliament was dissolved, the Liberals had 155 seats, the Conservatives 119, the Bloc Quebecois 32, the NDP 24 and the Greens two. Five MPs were independents, and one seat was vacant.
Election day is Sept. 20.
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