Photo Credit: James Peters, Twitter |
All candidates from both of the Kamloops provincial ridings (4 from Kamloops-North Thompson and 5 from Kamloops-South Thompson) were in attendance. You can view the entire session here
As soon as the 90 second opening speeches were given by the 9 candidates, the gloves literally came off, either between the candidates or heckling from the public in attendance. Chief hecklers included former MLA's Kevin Krueger and Terry Lake. One fierce debate moment was when BC Greens candidate for Kamloops South Thompson Donovan Cavers said that NDP candidate for Kamloops-South Thompson Nancy Beppel was not credible on the Ajax Mine file as she used to own shares in Abacus Mining who, at one point, was involved in the Ajax Mine development
Topics covered included:
* Ajax Mine
* Health Care
* Social issues
* Education
* Electoral Reform
* Campaign Financing
Interestingly enough, only half of the room was filled. I was expected a very packed room. Also interesting that you expect the odd heckle from members of the public who profoundly disagree with a candidate's point of view on a question put to them, but on many occasions, you saw either Todd Stone (BC Liberal - Kamloops South Thompson) or his counterpart, Peter Milobar (BC Liberal - Kamloops North Thompson) being heckled while attempting to answer questions put to them
From what I observed in the public gallery this evening - I'm not sure the candidates really changed anyone's mind except to play to their supporters, as All Candidate Forums typically are. Advanced Voting begins this weekend, check out the Elections BC website for your advanced voting location for either Kamloops North or South Thompson or the other 85 provincial ridings
~SF
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