North Bay Pride hosts election debate, Vic Fedeli absent

As the provincial election draws near, North Bay Pride hosted a debate Friday night with the candidates from the Nipissing riding to present their qualifications and policies in their bid to win a seat at Queen's Park.

Five of the eight candidates faced questions from well-known drag queen Geri Atrick, who moderated.

Each candidate was pressed on a number of issues from the COVID-19 pandemic response, to support for the 2SLGBTQ+ community and provincial legislation.

"There are different views and different things and people have the right to hear those views," said Atrick.

Running for the Ontario Party is local pastor Joe Jobin.

"When you win then Ontario wins and when Ontario wins, all people win," he explained, saying the party would  eliminate all COVID-19 restrictions and mandates.

Liberal candidate Tanya Vrebosch and NDP candidate Erika Lougheed promised to fight to repeal Bill 124. It is provincial legislation that health care workers have been battling because they say it essentially cuts public employee wages by four per cent.

"Doug Ford was just the other day in North Bay talking about the heroes. The heroes he capped the wages for," said Vrebosch. "He did this in 2018 and it should never have happened."

Esch canadiate agreed the relationship between the government and First Nations must improve and they all supported an idea that started in Medicine Hat, Alberta which has eliminated their chronic homeless situation by focusing on housing first.

On the COVID-19 vaccine, local Libertarian candidate Michelle Lashbrook says she supports freedom of choice.

"It's definitely a touchy subject," she told the crowd. "We have to get back to being human with each other."

The crowd had the opportunity to ask questions of the candidates.

Voter Jordan Ringuette wanted to hear what the candidates plan on doing to help support people living with HIV/AIDS in the community. He said it's become an important issue within the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

"As a queer person myself, I think it's very important that the candidates that are running have a deep understanding of what we are going through and what the HIV/AIDS community is going through," he explained.

Green Party canadiate Sean McClocklin said he believes in building relationships with committees that work with HIV/AIDS.

"Like the AIDS committee to provide better education and better funding to protect people," he responded.

Three of the candidates, Taylor Russell of the New Blue Party, Giacomo Vezina of the None of the Above Party and most notably incumbent Conservative canadiate Vic Fedeli, were no shows.

In the past, Fedeli has said he would only attend one televised debate without an audience.

"He needs to be here. We accommodated everything he asked," said Atrick who said she was disappointed he chose not to participate. "We live streamed it to download it afterwards and you can watch it for the next 10 years if you want and he just refused to answer."

When the debate began, Atrick rolled a giant puppet on stage that resembled Fedeli and placed it by the vacant seat.

Lougheed called out Fedeli for his absence.

"I'm okay with Mr. Fedeli not being here today. The reason is that he wants us to snooze this election away," she said in her closing remarks. "But I hope Mr. Fedeli, you're taking good note because I'm coming for you."

Next week, two more local debates are scheduled.

There is a cable TV debate Monday and the Nipissing University Student Union (NUSU) and the Retired Teachers' Federation Organization (RTFO) are scheduling their own debate with the four major parties Wednesday night.

NUSU confirmed to CTV News that Fedeli has not indicated whether or not he will participate.