London provincial election candidates are going toe to toe at several local debates, with a little more than two weeks to go until Ontarians head to the polls.
London provincial election candidates are going toe to toe at several local debates, with a little more than two weeks to go until Ontarians head to the polls.
The London Chamber of Commerce is holding three ticketed candidate forums this week starting Tuesday morning with London North Centre. Wednesday morning’s event will feature London West provincial candidates and the London-Fanshawe forum is the following day. Registration is closed for the Tuesday event, but open for the others.
“This was something that was in demand from our membership,” said Kristen Duever, vice-president of public affairs at the chamber.
“Business predictability has been a really big issue over the course of the pandemic. We’d like to hear how their party, if elected, would help provide that predictability that businesses need.”
Only candidates from parties with at least one seat in the legislature last term are invited to the London Chamber forums. The breakfast events are open to chamber members and non-members.
The events are a chance for attendees to meet the candidates, hear them answer questions about pressing local business issues and ask questions themselves, Duever said. They will be available online at lfpress.com.
“There are a few big issues we expect will be main themes, housing being one,” she said. “Regionally, we hope to hear a bit about how the candidates will leverage London’s designation as a UNESCO music city and how their policies might align with London’s new climate emergency action plan.”
The business-focused debate for Elgin-Middlesex-London, which encompasses parts of south London and Lambeth along with Elgin County and parts of Middlesex County, is being run by the St. Thomas and District Chamber of Commerce Wednesday afternoon.
The ticketed event will run from 4 to 6 pm at the CASO Station in St. Thomas and will be recorded and broadcast by Rogers TV London.
Elgin-Middlesex-London is one of two open races in Southwestern Ontario after longtime Progressive Conservative MPP Jeff Yurek resigned his seat in February and declined to seek re-election.
All three core London seats were won by New Democrats in the 2018 election.
Besides the chamber of commerce events, Rogers TV London will broadcast provincial candidate debates for the three core city ridings starting this weekend, station manager Jeremy Parking said Monday.
The programs will replay on the cable station about five times each and also be available on the Rogers TV London website, he said.
The debates were recorded Monday with the help of student volunteers from Fanshawe College’s broadcast journalism program, he said.
“They have some work-study students who were available over the summer,” Parking said. “I went there and graduated back in 2003. It’s always nice to be able to partner with Fanshawe College and it’s been great to be able to work with the students to put on these debates.”
London Chamber of Commerce
London West candidate forum
When: Wednesday, 7:45-10 a.m.
Where: London and St. Thomas Association of Realtors, 342 Commissioners Rd. W.
tickets: Members $15, non-members $25. Register at www.londonchamber.com/candidates-forums
London-Fanshawe candidate forum
When: Thursday, 7:45-10 a.m.
Where: Best Western Plus Lamplighter Inn, 591 Wellington Rd.
Tickets: Members $15, non-members $25. Register at www.londonchamber.com/candidates-forums
St. Thomas District Chamber of Commerce
Elgin-Middlesex-London debate
When: Wednesday, 4-6 p.m.
Where: CASO Station, 750 Talbot St., St. Thomas
tickets: $15. Register at [email protected] or 519-631-1981, ext. 523
Rogers TV
London debates
London North Centre, London West and London-Fanshawe candidate debates will air starting this weekend. The Elgin-Middlesex-London debate, recorded at the Chamber event Wednesday, will air next week. The debates will also be available online at Rogers TV London website and at lfpress.com.