Council, Mayoral candidates to be on display at Chamber debate next Thursday

By Allan Bradbury
Staff Writer
abradbury@fortfrances.com

The Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce is hosting the seven candidates for town council and two candidates for mayor will be given the chance to address residents of Fort Frances next week as election day approaches.

The event takes place next Thursday at the Townshend Theatre. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. with the presentations slated to start at 7 p.m.

Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Heather Johnson says the event will give Fort Frances residents an opportunity to hear from all of the candidates in the municipal election.

“The council candidates will be able to give their platforms and what they hope to do,” Johnson said. “The council candidates will go first and then we have a series of questions that will be in rotation with both of the mayoral candidates.”

The questions won’t be terribly controversial Johnson said, focussing on things that matter in the community.

“They are just questions regarding town happenings, and what’s going on,” Johnson said. “Nothing earth shaking, just how they plan to do their term if they are elected. All the questions will be from the Chamber of Commerce, we are not taking questions from the floor, mostly just as a matter of time.”

People will have an opportunity to ask their own questions in the meet and greet portion of the evening in the Fort Frances High School cafeteria.

“After the debate from 8:30-9:30 out in the cafeteria we’re having a meet and greet,” Johnson said. Each of the council candidates and the two mayoral candidates will have their own table and people can visit them and talk to them and ask questions that perhaps the Chamber didn’t cover. There will also be coffee and dainties.”

Official election day is Oct. 24. But advanced polling starts on Oct. 17. There will be no in-person voting, voting will be done by phone or on the internet. Voter instruction letters were mailed as of Oct. 3. If you do not receive your letter by Oct. 12 contact the town office at 274-5323. The letter contains a PIN required to vote. There will be no polling stations but those in need of help to vote can stop by the Voter Help Centre at the Civic Centre Monday Oct. 17 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with a lunch break from 12-1 p.m. The help centre will also be open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from Tues. Oct. 18- Fri. Oct. 21. Then on Election Day the Help Centre will be open from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. For more information on voting you can visit fortfrances.ca/town/mayor-council/elections.