As the race for mayor and council ramps up, Fort Frances residents will soon be weighing their options and deciding who they want to represent them when they cast their ballots in October.
For those unfamiliar with the major issues and unsure who is running and what they stand for, The Fort Frances Times and Fort Frances Labour Council are holding an all-candidate town hall meeting a few weeks before the Oct.26 election day.
The Town Hall will be held at the Memorial Sports Centre Auditorium on Oct. 1 at 6 p.m. It will act as a meeting between candidates for mayor and council and the residents of Fort Frances, allowing nominees to present their platforms and audience members to ask questions.
“With 11 nominees running and a host of issues facing the next town council, from the fate of Sunny Cove to a real need for economic development and investment to a lack of housing for incoming workers, it’s incredibly important for voters to get a chance to find out where the candidates stand,” said Andrew Flynn, the Times’ General Manager and Editor-in-Chief.
“I think people have a lot of concerns about the future of Fort Frances. The town government has a direct impact on our daily lives, so we need to know what the current slate of nominees stands for. Will they lower taxes? Raise them? Fix streets or build new housing? Municipal elections often see low voter turnout and low interest—we all have busy lives—so we’re hoping to spark some interest and get the conversations going.”
The Town Hall will begin with opening remarks from outgoing Mayor Andrew Hallikas, then proceed with comments from the two mayoral candidates, Brent Calder and John McTaggart, who will each have up to five minutes of speaking time. The nine nominees for councillor will each get three minutes to present their platforms. Candidates will each have a turn to speak in alphabetical order by last name.
“We decided not to go with a debate format due to time restrictions with so many running,” Flynn said. “With this format, at least voters will be able to get a glimpse into what our candidates stand for and question them about the issues they care about.”
After the candidates have had a chance to speak their piece, members of the audience will have the opportunity to ask questions directed at individual nominees. The rules for audience questions are as follows:
- Questions may be directed to individual candidates.
- Each questioner may take up to two minutes.
- Moderators will determine whether questions are appropriate and may redirect them if necessary.
- The addressed candidate will have up to one minute to respond.
- Moderators may allow one additional candidate to respond for up to one minute if the issue is broader.
- Moderators may ask their own questions or follow‑up questions for clarity.
- No audience follow‑ups.
- Defamatory, personal or non‑municipal questions will be declined.
- The total number of questions will be limited to keep the event within the three‑hour maximum.
The Town Hall will be moderated by Flynn and Times Editor Ken Kellar to ensure audience questions adhere to the rules. Additional support will be provided by the Fort Frances Labour Council.
During the Town Hall event, candidates and audience members are asked to conduct themselves respectfully by not interrupting any speaker during remarks, answers or questions.
All participants are also asked to refrain from bringing any campaign materials inside the auditorium. This includes flyers, signs, buttons, stickers or any other items promoting votes for a particular candidate.
If attending, be aware that the event may be livestreamed on YouTube and will be recorded for coverage purposes by The Times. Audience members must remain behind the camera line and may not obstruct recording equipment.
Flynn noted that any volunteers to assist with setup and audience guidance would be greatly appreciated and will help ensure the event runs smoothly.
Any volunteer inquiries or general questions can be directed to Flynn by emailing aflynn@fortfrances.com. For accommodation requests, call The Fort Frances Times at (807) 274-7286.
