Dear Editor,
A student at George MacDougall High School organized a political forum for the federal candidates to talk about their platforms with the students as part of their course curriculum. This forum was scheduled for mid-October.
All candidates were invited; Liberal, Conservatives, NDP, Green Party and the PPC. They were given the opportunity to stand in front of the student body – first-time and future voters – and educate them on their party platforms.
In response to the invitation, the Conservative party quickly declined and stated it would send a script for a student to read. This script was received hours before the forum. This left no time for review or preparation for the student reader.
The NDP declined the invitation and also agreed to send a script to be read by a student. They party delivered its script three days in advance of the forum, which allowed time for preparation.
The Liberal candidate accepted the invitation and then cancelled two hours prior to the forum with no script or message to be read by a student.
The Green party cancelled 20 minutes prior to the forum with no messaging to be read.
The only candidate who accepted and showed up to the forum was the PPC candidate.
Sadly, the forum was cancelled due to lack of attendance.
Life can be busy, but these are the first-time and future voters in our elections, these students invited you into their school to share with them, to educate them, yet this was not important enough to be a priority. If that is not disappointing enough, the organizer was being evaluated on this forum as part of their curriculum.
For those who did what they said they would and delivered a message or showed up, well done. You may or may not have my vote, but I respect that you made these students a priority. For those of you who did not follow through on your intentions or make it important, you may not have given it a second thought, but you should have – you let these students down.
Bree Donaldson
Sagewood
