Three out of seven candidates will be in attendance at a candidates debate tonight at the Cobden Arena.
One of the event organizers Randy Briand says New Blue candidate Thomas O’Conner, Ontario Party candidate Kade MacWilliams, and Ontario Provincial Confederation of Regions Party candidate Murray Reid are planning to attend.
Briand says he’s disappointed the Conservatives, Liberals, NDP and Green Party won’t be there, calling it a missed opportunity.
Doors open at the Cobden Arena at 6:15pm with the debate starting at 7:00pm. Residents planning to attend will also have the opportunity to ask questions.
Kurt Stoll, the NDP candidate for Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke declined the invitation to attend the debate saying the organizers of the debate, Action4Canada and the Ontario Landowners Association (OLA), stand in direct contrast to the values of New Democrats. Stoll says attacks on the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, blatant Islamophobia, and history of conspiracy theories with these two groups are not only in contrast to his values and the values of the NDP party, but are completely unacceptable. Stoll encouraged other candidates running in the provincial election to not attend the debate and says, as leaders we should not be attending events held by groups with these views. Instead of attending the debate, Stoll and the NDP will host a meet and greet event on Saturday, May 28th from 1:00pm to 3:00pm at the Cobden Legion.
Other candidates running in the provincial election are Anna Dolan of the Green Party, Oliver Jacob with the Ontario Liberal Party, and PC Party of Ontario candidate John Yakabuski.
Advance voting is open in a number of locations and the provincial election is set for Thursday, June 2nd, 2022.
(written by: Rudy Kadlec)
