Several candidates to skip second forum

FORT FRANCES—While a second all-candidates’ forum—sponsored by the Fort Frances Labour Council—is scheduled to take place Wednesday evening, at least eight of the council candidates will not be attending.
Rick Wiedenhoeft said late Monday morning that he, Tannis Drysdale, Todd Hamilton, Neil Kabel, Andrew Hallikas, Paul Ryan, and Sharon Tibbs will not be there for several reasons.
“I found out some things that were a little bit disconcerting,” said Wiedenhoeft. “The first thing is there is no labour council—not presently active. It’s kind of defunct and non-functional.”
He added he talked to forum organizer Dale Gustafson, who said it was accurate the labour council isn’t active, but that he was hopeful the forum would be a “kick off’ to get it going again.
“To me, that’s backwards,” said Wiedenhoeft. “I don’t think you have the right to make representation as a labour council if you haven’t had the authority to go ahead and use that.
“I’m a little bit reticent because I think the process was flawed in the organization of this.”
Wiedenhoeft said he also had issue with the fact council candidate Allan T. Bedard, a member of the Northern Action Group (NAG), was involved in organizing the debate.
“Not that there’s something, on the surface, that’s wrong with a candidate organizing a debate. But to me it enters into the chance of bias,” said Wiedenhoeft.
“You wouldn’t have the Liberal party of Canada organizing the debate for the prime minister candidates. It just doesn’t happen,” he remarked. “You’d have a neutral third party or fourth party to organize the debate to ensure the democratic process is fair.”
Wiedenhoeft said he mentioned his concerns to other council candidates and confirmed those listed above would not attend, either.
“Some of them have their own reasons for not attending, but they all agreed to support the position that I said I would relate to you,” he explained.
Wiedenhoeft said he could not get a hold of John Albanese or Ken Perry, and did not know if they would be in attendance Wednesday night.
(Albanese previously had told the Times he will be in Kenora on Oct. 25-27 on Northwestern Health Unit business).
When contacted by the Times on Monday morning, Bedard confirmed his attendance at the debate. Meanwhile, Nick Wihnan had said last week he’d be there.
“I hope the candidates do not use this as a slap against us, saying we’re not interested in labour. I do support labour,” stressed Wiedenhoeft. “But I don’t support how this candidates’ debate was set up.
“If they want to set something up in the future and do it properly, then I’d be happy to attend,” he added. “But I think this one was improperly set up.”
As for the two mayoral candidates in the Nov. 13 election, incumbent Dan Onichuk confirmed Monday morning he will be at the second candidates’ forum while challenger Roy Avis said he could not attend as he will be in Winnipeg on business.
Avis clarified this isn’t a recent development, stressing he’d contacted organizers immediately after being invited to the all-candidates’ debate.
“I was notified about it and I notified them that same day to tell them I had prior commitments,” he noted.
The debate is scheduled to take place at the Métis Community Hall (old Polish Hall) starting at 7 p.m.
(Fort Frances Daily Bulletin)