As first reported by The Trillium, it has come to our campaign’s attention that some political parties, including Doug Ford’s Conservatives, may be directing that their candidates refrain from participating in local all candidates’ meetings and debates as they have in previous election campaigns. This approach prevents local voters from getting to know their candidates for election and asking their critical questions about the future of our community.
“All candidates’ meetings are our opportunity as candidates to hear from local residents about the issues that matter to them and to share our campaign priorities with interested voters,” says Oliver Jacob, your Ontario Liberal candidate for Renfrew-Nipissing- Pembroke. “I call upon all local candidates in the 2025 Provincial Election to participate in all candidates’ meetings and debates so that our constituents have the best opportunity to assess who will make the best representative for our region at Queen’s Park.”
At this time of this release, confirmed all candidates’ meetings include the following events:
- All Candidates’ Meeting, hosted by the Renfrew County Federation of Agriculture and Arnprior Regional Federation of Agriculture. Wednesday, February 12th, 2025 at 6:30pm at the Cobden Agricultural Hall (43 Astrolabe Road, Cobden, ON K0J 1K0
- Televised Debate, hosted by yourTV Ottawa Valley. To be aired periodically starting on Thursday, February 13th, 2025 at 6:00pm on yourTV Ottawa Valley.
- All Candidates’ Meeting, hosted by the Valley Gazette. Thursday, February 20th, 2025 at 6:30pm at the Barry’s Bay Legion (Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 406)
Jacob,O.,Ontario Liberal candidate R-N-P(2025,Feb.7) Ontario Liberal Candidate Calls on Fellow Candidates to Participate in All Candidates’ Meetings [media release]
Photo Jan van der Wolf on pexels.com
I think candidates forums are a wonderful way to compare platforms and get a sense of the candidate’s ability to answer non-scripted questions. It serves as a way to introduce the candidate to the community and illustrates their commitment to “show up,” even when they might find it challenging.
If I drive to Cobden and the PC candidate isn’t there, I’ll be seriously disappointed. The reason they’d disallow his attendance would be because “the risk outweighs the benefit,” which is hot garbage, if you ask me. If you don’t trust the candidate to be able to handle them in this environment, then they shouldn’t pass vetting. Trust your candidates. Trust them to speak to their prospective constituents.
All-candidates meetings and tv debates are increasingly passé and “so yesterday”:- candidates need to learn how to use the new online media and especially YouTube videos. For example, Mr Jacob’s election team could organize interview sessions with him being interviewed by local new reporters and answering various general questions on various topics plus answering specific questions asked by local residents. A good model for this approach are the various YouTube videos published by the Ontario Woodland Association which is very definitely very progressive and effective in its use of online media. One big question we need to ask here in MVT is when will we finally get fibre-optic cable service here and at least along Hwy 60 and RC 62 at a minimum? Doug Ford thinks he’s such a “smarty-pants” by calling an early election in the dead of winter while he plays “Captain Canada” to Trump and while the Trudeau Liberals are mia at their useless “beauty pageant” and tries to bribe us with our own tax money but the provincial Liberals and others could use YouTube very effectively to counter Doug Ford. The Internet is radically changing the way politics is done and the politicians need to “get with it” instead of lamenting non-participation by the PCs in outmoded all-candidates meetings.