Two separate debates for all major party candidates in the federal election in the Peterborough riding will be taking place next Tuesday and Wednesday (April 8 and 9), with the first on business issues and the second on housing and homelessness.
Two debates hosted by the same organizations were held less than two months ago for all major party candidates in the Ontario election.
The business issues debate, hosted by the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce is partnership with the Peterborough and The Kawarthas Home Builders Association and Central Lakes Association of Realtors, takes place from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday in the chapel at Lakefield College School (4391 County Road 29, Lakefield). Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Everyone is welcome to attend. Questions can be submitted ahead of the debate by emailing the chamber’s vice president of goverment relations and communications Joel Wiebe at joel@pkchamber.ca. Written question submissions will also be available at the event.
In addition to the debate, the chamber and those same partners (along with the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area) are hosting a “Coffee with the Candidates” event from 9 to 10 a.m. on Tuesday, April 15 at Holiday Inn Peterborough Waterfront (150 George Street North, Peterborough). All are welcome to drop in.
“The election events are a great way to learn about your local federal candidates and hear what they have to say on some important business issues,” Weibe says in a media release. “The next Government of Canada is going to play a crucial role in guiding us through some turbulent economic times. We encourage you to join us and engage with your local candidates.”
The debate on housing and homelessness is hosted by One City Peterborough in partnership with United Way Peterborough and District, the Research for Social Change Lab at Trent University, and All Saints’ Anglican Church. It takes place from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday at All Saints’ Anglican Church (235 Rubidge Street, Peterborough).
Everyone is welcome to attend. For those who are unable to be there, the debate will be livestreamed on the church’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/@allsaintspeterborough6446/streams.
The major party candidates in the Peterborough riding are incumbent Michelle Ferreri of the Conservative Party of Canada, Emma Harrison of the Liberal Party of Canada, Heather Ray of the New Democratic Party, and Jazmine Raine of the Green Party of Canada.
Other confirmed candidates in the Peterborough riding are Jami-Leigh McMaster of the People’s Party of Canada and Matthew Grove of the Christian Heritage Party of Canada.
Election day is Monday, April 28.
This will be the first federal election held using the new riding boundaries, which were adjusted in 2022 to reflect population changes in the 2021 census.
Previously known as Peterborough-Kawartha, the new Peterborough riding is geographically smaller and shifts to the south to include Otonabee-South Monaghan Township and Hiawatha and Alderville First Nations, while two Peterborough County municipalities in the former riding — Municipality of Trent Lakes and North Kawartha Township — move into the new Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes riding (previously Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock).
This story has been updated with the name of the Green Party candidate.
