Most of the candidates vying to become the next leader of the Ontario Liberal Party will participate in an informal debate in Sarnia on Saturday.
The Sarnia-Lambton Provincial Liberal Association (SLPLA) is hosting a political forum for leadership candidates on October 7 at the Sarnia Golf and Curling Club.
The public event will take place between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
SLPLA President Lois Nantais said she was disappointed that no official debates were going to take place in the region, so they contacted candidates individually with an invitation to a local forum.
Three of the four registered leadership candidates have agreed to attend the event including Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Ted Hsu, and Yasir Naqvi. Nantais said she hadn't heard a recent response from Bonnie Crombie's office.
Nantais said personally, she wanted to hear candidates answer questions from local residents in regards to political interests, the economy, and social issues.
"For me, in my active participation in politics, it's all about the community and what politicians can do to foster our growth and be present to us in our issues," she said. "Especially as a border town, I feel like our issues are unique and so I wanted - who could potentially be the next premier, to hear us and to answer to us."
Since the event is open to the public, attendees are asked to preregister for the event online.
Party members will vote for a new leader on November 25 and November 26.
A decision was made earlier this year to move to a direct voting system, which Nantais said will offer smaller rural communities an equal opportunity to have their voices heard.
"It's a game-changer in my perspective because every electoral district now gets 100 points (to be awarded to leadership candidates) as opposed to it being delegates from highly populated areas," Nantais said. "So what's happening is the rural areas in particular, who have fewer people, have equal voices."
Ballot counting will take place on December 2 and the new leader of the Ontario Liberal Party will be announced that very day.
