OPINION: Chamber event a missed opportunity
FERGUS – What a shame. And what a missed opportunity.
The Centre Wellington Chamber of Commerce held a Meet the Candidates event in Fergus on Sept. 15 – the first such event in the township.
It was a chance to meet all the candidates and form impressions based on what you see with your own eyes and hear with your own ears. It was to be a chance to ask questions. Put them on the spot if so moved. Listen to the questions other people are asking.
Social media and campaign websites can introduce a candidate and express their views, but these sources are by nature one-sided and don’t give a rounded view of the candidate.
Online forums can lead to interesting discussions and help form an opinion on who to vote for. Or they can devolve.
The candidates are hard at it, knocking on doors and putting out signs. They understand the value of meeting people in person and making an impression.
The ones I spoke to last Tuesday night said it’s gone well on the doorstep. People are giving them the time of day, and they enjoy hearing what’s on people’s minds.
But to meet the public in a group, dare I say in a crowd – it must have been a welcome invitation for the candidates to attend the chamber event, perhaps especially Ward 5 council candidate Elnor Walsh, who recently suffered an injury and is on crutches.
But there was no crowd.
It was open to chamber members only and perhaps three separate individual business owners took advantage of the opportunity.
Otherwise, it was just the candidates and their campaign teams in the room, and two reporters. And I’m not sure any of the school board trustees were invited. None were there.
So, it’s a shame that the chamber didn’t open the doors to the public and that members didn’t take advantage of this exclusive opportunity to meet the candidates face to face.
It surely was a waste of the candidates’ time that no one showed up. And it makes it that much harder for regular people to make educated decisions about this critical election.
Voter turnout is notoriously low for municipal elections as it is.
For those who want to hear Centre Wellington candidates speak, there are still three upcoming opportunities. These events are free and open to all to attend:
– Sept. 23, 6 to 9pm, mayoral debate at the Jefferson Elora Community Centre hosted by REACH Wellington;
– Sept. 26, 6 to 9pm, all-candidates event with speeches, questions and the chance to meet candidates after the formal part of the evening. At the Riverside Events Centre, hosted by the Wellington Advertiser; and
– Oct. 15, 6 to 9:30pm, all-candidates event at Central Church on Colbourne Street. Hosted by the Centre Wellington Black Committee.
Please take advantage.
