Dianne Watts missing in action, but other candidates address climate change and assisted dying at lively forum

My first foray into this year's federal election came Tuesday night, when I served as moderator of a candidates' forum in the riding of South Surrey-White Rock.
Of the six candidates on the ballot, four had been invited by the organizers to speak. South Fraser Unitarian congregation and Crescent United Church organized the event, held at the United Church. The facility was packed, with more than 200 in attendance.
Organizers Ann Bryce, Joan Wilson and Lynn McKay did an excellent job. They wanted the forum to concentrate on two major issues, climate change and end of life (specifically physician-assisted dying), which will be in front of the next Parliament, and prepared eight questions on these topics. The responses took up most of the meeting.
In attendance were Liberal Judy Higginbotham, NDP Pixie Hobby and Green Larry Colero. Conservative Dianne Watts, the popular former mayor of Surrey who has never taken a back seat to anyone, did not attend. Her campaign office said she had other commitments.
Brian Marlatt, candidate for the Progressive Canadian Party, only entered the race Monday. He did get a chance to introduce himself, but did not otherwise take part in the forum. The questions posed required some research and thought, and he simply did not have enough time to do that.
Hobby, a lawyer, gave an excellent explanation of the Carter decision by the Supreme Court of Canada. That decision legalized physician-assisted dying in Canada and gave the federal government a year to come up with an appropriate law. That deadline is February, 2016.
Hobby said NDP leader Thomas Mulcair wants that deadline extended. I wholly agree. This response requires time and deep thought.
When the election is over, whoever is the prime minister needs to ask for an extension of at least a year to allow for full public input and discussion of this topic. As Hobby said, there is probably no issue that more closely touches a person's innermost values and feelings.
Higginbotham explained both her own and the Liberal Party's position on the issue, and in my view, was very honest about some of the ramifications of allowing euthanasia. Colero also made some very thought-provoking comments. He is among many who are concerned that the court decision not open the decision-making on euthanasia to other people (beyond the affected individual). That is one of my biggest concerns, because there are always greedy relatives who can't wait for someone to die. Opening up our society to assisted dying must not be exploited by anyone.
On climate change, all were in basic agreement that Canada must do more. Hobby, a former federal government lawyer, pointed out that some of the most significant action on that issue actually came under the leadership of Progressive Conservative prime minister Brian Mulroney.
The audience was sympathetic to the candidates' comments on both topics, and many written questions took pokes at Watts. One suggersted that the three who did show up put their head together and decide which of them should oppose Watts, to boost the odds of her defeat.
Organizers plan to collate all the questions and pose them to candidates via Facebook and other social media.
There are numerous other candidates' forums planned in the riding between now and Oct. 17, and attending one of them offers a great chance to check out the candidates in person and compare them.

Photos by Pattie Petrala
Candidates are (left to right, top photo) Pixie Hobby, NDP; Judy Higginbotham, Liberal; Larry Colero, Green; Brian Marlatt, Progressive Canadian. I'm the moderator, at far left.