Oct 15, 2014
Candidates for the mayoral race in central and north Frontenac took to the stage at the Granite Ridge Education Centre cafetorium on October 14 as part of the school's Student Vote program.
The program, which has been running at the school since 2003, is being headed up this year by Mr. McVety's grade 12 history class. Since 2003 students at the school have been involved through the program in all of the municipal, provincial and federal elections except for ones that took place during the summer months.
On Tuesday the four mayoral candidates, who included Frances Smith and incumbent Janet Gutowski from Central Frontenac, and Claudio Valentini and Ron Higgins from North Frontenac, took to the stage, each advocating why they are the best choice for mayor.
The assembly was mediated by senior students Josh Keefe and Brandy Armstrong and the candidates were timed by Caleb Poirier and Geoff Dewar. Students from grades 7 through 12 listened first to the introductions, after which a number of students posed direct questions to the candidates.
The questions from students included:
1) What issues does each candidate feel are the most important in the community?
2) How is he or she going to help youth in the community? and
3) Why they feel that they are the best choice for the job.
Later in the week students will vote for the candidates and the winners will be announced at a later date. The aim of the Student Vote program is to engage youth about politics and the issues that directly effect them. Randy McVety said that he wanted to “engage students, especially at the municipal level of government, which is the one closest to them and the one that is most likely to impact their lives.” McVety also cited “the abysmally low level of voter turn out at all government elections”. He hopes that getting youth involved will encourage them to remain engaged in the political process once they graduate from school.
McVety was grateful to the four candidates, who took the time to come out and speak to the students.
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