EDITORIAL – As federal election forums pile up, some limits are needed
(Image: CFJC file photo)
An editorial by Mel Rothenburger.
AFTER A COLUMN last weekend in which I touched on the issue of skipping election forums, I received a reply from Cathy McLeod. She says:
“In Kamloops this round I have never seen so many requests from so many groups. We really need a better system. It is unfeasible to actually do them all.
“Would be much better to have fewer with themes/ blocks where different groups can be part of input.”
I think she has a good point here but let’s separate the issues. My comments in the column had to do with Terry Lake’s past habit as a provincial candidate of refusing some forums hosted by groups he believed to be partisan. I gave as examples forums hosted by the B.C. Teachers Federation and the Farmers Market.
Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops and newspaper editor. He publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a director on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.
As I believe you once suggested, It,s time Terry took up fishing, or something else,anything really or even became a full time vet.
Here’s a question: Which forums will Terry Lake reject this time? A conundrum.
What constitutes a “forum”? Mostly it seems like an opportunity to meet and talk to people. Is it too much effort for a candidate to show up at the Farmers market “forum” and stand on their soapbox for an hour? If TRU organizes a “forum”, is it too much to show up for an hour or two at a place where thousands of students vote?
I mean candidates campaign right? Are these not good opportunities to sell yourself? Think of the democratic presidential candidates who spend months in Iowa going to every fish fry and country fair across the state, often multiple events in one day, at different locations.