Voters will have a chance to speak with two of the three candidates running in the Constituency of Prince Albert when the Melfort Trade Alliance Chamber of Commerce (MTACC) hosts an all-candidate meet-and-greet on Tuesday.
MTACC executive director Lorana McComber said there will be no speeches and no debates at the event. The goal is to give local chamber members a chance to get specific questions answered, rather than focus on general topics.
“It gives the businesses more of a one-on-one, kind of a calm way to get their views and concerns across,” McComber said during an interview on Monday.
McComber expects the Canadian response to foreign tariffs to be a common topic of discussion Tuesday night. She said businesses across the region, and Chambers across Canada, are keeping a close eye on the latest developments.
“That one right now seems to be the big one,” she said. “Many webinars and things that I’m involved in with the Saskatchewan Chamber and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, that is the big focus…. Just talking to the businesses around here, they’re scared and worried” (and asking) ‘how is it going to affect them?’”
McComber confirmed Conservative Party candidate and incumbent MP Randy Hoback has agreed to attend, as has NDP candidate Virginia Kutzan. Liberal candidate Chris Hadubiak is also in the running, but McComber said Hoback and Kutzan were the only two who had accepted the invitation.
McComber said they settled on an informal meet and greet because Hoback told the MTACC at the MELBEX Awards that forums and debates were not an option.
When contacted, Hoback’s campaign manager, Richard Fromm, said it was his understanding the campaign had not received any invitations to candidate forums or debates. He confirmed Hoback would be in attendance for the MTACC meet-and-greet.
When asked if Hoback would participate in an all candidates forum, Fromm said they would have to see if it fit in their schedule.
“Our focus is at the doors,” Fromm said.
“We have things planned already and it’s a very large riding. We’re on the road a lot.”
The Melfort Trade Alliance Chamber of Commerce come and go candidate chat runs from 7-9 p.m. at the Melfort Legion Hall on Tuesday, April 15.
The federal election is scheduled for Monday, April 28. Advance voting begins on April 18 and runs until April 21.
@kerr_jas • jason.kerr@paherald.sk.ca
