In advance of the “Meet the Mayoral Candidates” debate they’re co-hosting Oct. 1, the Sudbury chapter of the Canadian Association of Retired Persons is inviting the public to supply questions for the candidates.
The Oct. 1 debate is being hosted by the Sudbury chapter of the Canadian Association of Retired Persons and the Sudbury Arts Council. It’s taking place at the Parkside Older Adult Centre (140 Durham Street) beginning at 1:30 p.m., and the general public is invited to attend.
For those unable to attend in-person, the Parkside Older Adult Centre will be livestreaming the event on their Facebook page.
All nine mayoral candidates have been invited to participate. The event will be moderated by Peter Williams.
To submit a question, please send your question or questions, indicating to which candidate or candidates you would like it (or them) addressed, to [email protected].
Last week, CARP released a list of its election priorities for the Oct. 24 vote.
The list, president John Lindsay said in correspondence with local media, was compiled for this year’s slate of municipal candidates by their membership of older adults, and includes things that “are likely concerns of voters of all ages.”
Their list of concerns is as follows:
- More effort to keep taxes low through cost controls and budgeting, review of staffing levels, possible wage freezes etc. Pause or forget costly “Legacy and Big Projects” and put available resources into repairing present facilities, fire halls, library, and art gallery and other crumbling infrastructure including especially roads and streets.
- Protect our lakes, drinking and recreational water – no new roads – less salt in water.
- Create more lower cost housing with help from Province and Federal governments.
- Encourage OLG and Gateway to keep the casino in Chelmsford – return horse racing.
- Require councillors and mayor to hold citizen meetings (town halls) quarterly.
- Allocate funding for artists and events before consideration of new arts facilities, which are considerable, including the new Place des Arts.
- Increase the arts funding budget to be more in line with other communities recognizing the economic and cultural value of the arts for all citizens.
Support the Sudbury Arts Council to allow for assistance in funding allocations (like Kingston and other city models) and to provide support for artists and the community to save city staff time and money for this service.
