People getting to hear what the four candidates for Saint John-Rothesay are all about at a well-attended candidates forum put on by the Human Development Council at the UNB Saint John Grand Hall in the uptown.
They were asked about various topics including the Energy East pipeline with Conservative candidate Rodney Weston saying he supports it as as long as it doesn’t compromise the environment in the process. Green Party candidate Sharon Murphy says “I don’t think it’s any question that the Green Party does not support the pipeline, period.”
Weston also speaking about the poverty rate which he says was much higher 10 to 15 years ago saying they have made progress in reducing that poverty rate. Green Party candidate Sharon Murphy says the party has a housing first approach for emergency housing that she says needs to happen immediately.
Saint John-Rothesay Liberal candidate Wayne Long says he was pleased to be able to convey sincerity and the Liberal vision at the HDC candidates forum.
CHSJ News asked Long what he hears at the doors and he says the number thing is they want a change of the Harper government.
He says the number two issue is the economy adding people are looking for leadership and answers.
A J Griffin of the NDP says she was not surprised that multiculturalism came up adding it’s vital to the community.
She tells us she felt prepared as far as knowing the issues that came up adding she may have had a little too much info to get in within two minutes.
The HDC’s Randy Hatfield tells us they really believe voter turnout is an important way of measuring civic engagement. He says that they were struck when they looked at the 2011 election that Saint John had the lowest voter turnout of the 10 constituencies in New Brunswick.
