Skip to content

Letter: Candidate's no-show at debate not indicative of 'listening well, working hard'

Non-partisan debates provide opportunities to get to know our local candidates
Pen and Election Sign CG
All-candidates forums and debates provide opportunities for voters to get to know the candidates, hear what they have to say, and learn where they stand on a wide variety of issues, writes this reader.

Dear Editor:

As we near election day to choose the next [members of Parliament] who will represent us in the federal government, we look for opportunities to get to know the candidates, hear what they have to say, and learn where they stand on a wide variety of issues.  Also, we hope to discover who has the integrity, honesty, and transparency that voters deserve.

A non-partisan debate on environmental issues was held online for the riding of West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country on Tuesday, Sept. 7.

Five candidates were invited; four readily accepted and enthusiastically participated. The lone no-show failed to respond to several reminder emails and phone messages for the two weeks leading up to the debate. He only finally sent his regrets on debate day through another organizer, citing he had a conflicting event.

I find it quite rich that this same candidate states [in the North Shore News Sept. 8 print edition] that he wants to be known for “listening well, working hard, pursuing justice, promoting reconciliation, and encouraging excellence for both individuals and communities,” and yet he doesn’t even show the courtesy or respect to directly reply to an invitation and several reminders in a timely fashion.  

Lisa Brasso
West Vancouver