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Standing room only at WORCA-sponsored first all candidates meetings

By Clare Ogilvie and Andrew Mitchell WORCA’s meet and greet the municipal election candidates this week was a huge success. There was even a baby to kiss, although not one politician took advantage of that photo opportunity.

By Clare Ogilvie and Andrew Mitchell

WORCA’s meet and greet the municipal election candidates this week was a huge success.

There was even a baby to kiss, although not one politician took advantage of that photo opportunity.

Instead, those on the election trail spoke fast and furiously trying to cover their platforms and answer voters’ questions in the seven minutes they were allowed at each of the 14 discussion tables.

The Spruce Grove Field House was full to capacity, and then some, forcing candidates to kneel sometimes due to a lack of chairs at the discussion tables, as they answered a myriad of questions.

"The meeting was very good and the format was good," said Keith Auchinachie, a 20-year resident of Whistler.

"The seven minutes didn’t allow a huge amount of information to be disseminated by the individuals but it did give you an introduction to their personality.

"I have to say I have been leaning toward certain people, but after hearing them speak my lean has changed. There are some candidates I didn’t consider at all who I might now consider, although more information will be needed and more contact. Hopefully I will have a more informed opinion then."

For voter Brent McIvor the chance to meet the candidates, all 20 of whom showed up, reaffirmed his decisions on voting.

"It confirmed my decisions on who I was voting for for council," he said.

" I came here to hear what everyone had to say, but I’m strong on the incumbents because I think there needs to be continuity on council.

"The issues on our plate are hard. I don’t think new people are up to speed on the complexity of the community and the issues."

Said Shannon Gordon: "I do think it was very good. It confirmed the way I would vote more than change my mind.

"I think it was valuable to put faces to the names and hear candid views rather than speeches that are written down and thought out. I was very impressed with a number of the candidates, and it gave me some more to think about on Election Day."

The meeting, open to both WORCA members and the public got under way at 7 p.m. Tuesday and lasted about four hours. Over 170 people attended. Voters chose a table to stay seated at all night, enjoying free beer and chips, while the candidates moved from place to place.

There were no surprises in the main issues covered: Affordability, sustainability, housing, the Olympics, development and the bed cap, the Community Charter, and taxes.

And while the candidates were happy to talk about all the issues, it appeared as if the voters were less interested in the politician’s banal and predictable description of the woes and wonders of Whistler, than hearing some concrete solutions to the issues.

"We want specifics," Steve Bayley told candidate for council Mitch Rhodes as he began to talk about affordability in the resort.

Rhodes, armed with a breath, bravely launched into how he would negotiate with the provincial government to get the school tax system changed in Whistler’s favour for a start.

Auchinachie wanted to know if voting in Rhodes would give the candidate’s wife, Suzanne Denbak, president of Tourism Whistler, access to council.

"I’m really glad you asked that," said Rhodes. "I love my wife… but we disagree on many issues.

"Voting me onto council does not give Tourism Whistler a seat on council."

Both Mayor O’Reilly and would-be Mayor Dave Davenport were questioned closely on the qualities they believed they bring to the position.

It appeared to boil down to O’Reilly’s lengthy experience and his style of consensus building and a teamwork approach with council members he sees as representing Whistler’s diverse community.

Davenport spoke of a strong leadership ready to create change where needed and working as team leader where appropriate. He also pointed to his lengthy experience running successful small businesses in the resort.

Many wanted to know how a change in council or leadership would affect some of the big projects underway at the moment, such as the sustainability plan.

Incumbent councillor Nick Davies said continuity is an issue in every election.

"It is probably advantageous with some of the issues out there at this time," he told Table 7.

But he went on to reassure the voters that even if there is change it is likely that any new members of local government will get up to speed quickly and focus on what the community wants and needs.

There were also questions on financial accountability. How can the resort afford to fund the new museum-library, Millennium Place, a new fire hall and so on.

Incumbent councillor Ted Miler said council is financially responsible. He reminded some voters that the municipality provided only $450,000 to Millennium Place for development charges and interim funding. It holds the $3.5 million dollar mortgage on the building. But $2 million of that has already been promised. The rest will come from fundraising.

"If anything happens we get a $7 million dollar facility for $1.5 million," said Milner.

WORCA was thrilled with the turn out and the energy of the meeting.

"There’s more issues, and more people are involved. The community is up on the issues because we’ve been asked to participate in so many things, (like) the Olympics, (and the community sustainability plan," said Tony Horn who co-owns and runs Slopeside Supply and is the past president of WORCA.

"People have stayed involved.

"The issues were not as big for the last campaign. Three years ago, a single family home was$400,000. Now the same house is $800,000.

"Then there are all the big issues like the Olympics, sustainability. More is at stake."