During a forum at the Onoway Museum and Heritage Centre on Monday, Shane Getson of the United Conservatives, Oneil Carlier of the New Democrats, Gordon McMillian of Alberta Independence, Darien Masse of Alberta Advantage and Don McCargar of the Alberta Party answered questions to an audience of 300. While many jeered Oneil Carlier through the night, the evening's tone was mostly calm.
The candidates in Lac Ste. Anne-Parkland have had their final say.
Moderators screened questions in advance and one of the ones which made it through to the men running was on religious schools. Specifically, Trina from Duffield wanted to know how religious rights would be protected at these sites.
Under the NDP government, many faith based ones have been informed they could be de-funded if they do not follow rules for clubs like Gay-Straight Alliances which ban the disclosure of students who are in them to parents. The issue is winding its way through courts, but Getson said a UCP government would end the issue and stop what he likened to a hostage situation for those in these schools.
Under the UCP plan, earlier legislation would come in to replace law put on the books by the NDP. In the earliest days of his candidacy, Getson had called for a system where a religious school may not necessarily need to have a GSA, but those who wanted one would be ensured access to one within a public system. For Carlier, he touched on his background on this question, but not party policy.
Later in the evening, the candidates were asked a question about assisted suicide. The controversial medical practice recently became legal in Canada so long as a natural death is incurable or foreseeable. For McCargar, Masse and McMillian, this, and how doctors who refuse to do it should be protected, was hard to handle.
McMillian echoed with his often-stated support for individual freedom. Whether that is to die or evade federal hassles.
McCargar did not talk about suicide in depth, but did pivot to the related topic of mental health. He said the key to lessening suicide and challenging those in the medical field who may be uncomfortable with the decision would be this path.
The night concluded after about an hour of questions and left many who saw the debate divided on the best performances. The Reporter/Examiner found response to the debate split evenly between Carlier and Getson, but at the site, one voter found some merit with a candidate he will not be voting for.
Advance polls are now open across Alberta and close Saturday.