Chilliwack voters have two opportunities to learn more about their candidates for the upcoming school district byelection.
Chilliwack District Parents' Advisory Council has partnered with Chilliwack Teachers' Association, and the Chilliwack branch of the Canadian Union of Public Employers
to host two all-candidates meetings that will debate the issues of the school district.
The first meeting is Thursday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. at Sardis secondary.
The second is Wednesday, Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. at Chilliwack middle school.
DPAC treasurer Don Davis will moderate.
All-candidates meetings are an opportunity to not only meet the candidates, said DPAC president Gord Byers, but to also research which candidate will be the best representation for the community.
"We want someone in there who's going to answer the difficult questions and be a voice for parents – not just floating back and forth," said Byers, speaking on behalf of Chilliwack parents.
But it's not just parents who should care, said CTA president Clint Johnston.
Taxpayer dollars, regardless of whether you have children or not, fund education.
"These children are the next generation of people going to come through our economic system, and the education they receive, the funding for that education, I can't really think of much more that's more important than those things," said Johnston. "And the board controls that.
"So if you want a say in how that works, you should make sure that you know what the people you're electing are going to do."
With six candidates running for one available spot on the board of education, the meetings are expected to feature plenty of questions, discussion, debate and interaction.
DPAC is accepting suggestions for questions that can be emailed to dpac@sd33.bc.ca.
The byelection is on Nov. 30.