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Kathleen Jones, Sheila Malcolmson and Lia Versaevel are due to debate at the annual Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce all-candidates debate on Wednesday night. (VICC/Kathleen Jones/Sheila Malcolmson/Lia Versaevel)
ELECTION DEBATE

Going virtual: Chamber to host online all-candidates debate for Nanaimo riding

Oct 10, 2020 | 7:54 AM

NANAIMO — The Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce’s traditional all-candidates debate is going virtual for the 2020 provincial election.

The Wednesday, Oct. 14 debate will pit incumbent NDP candidate Sheila Malcolmson up against Liberal Kathleen Jones and Green Lia Versaevel in a virtual Q&A at the nearly-empty Shaw Auditorium.

Kim Smythe, Chamber CEO, told NanaimoNewsNOW the modified debate has forced a change in format.

“We’re going to introduce some Zoom segments where people will be asking specific questions, issue-based questions so we can try and cover as much territory as possible,” Kim Smythe, chamber CEO, said.

Questions can be submitted to the Chamber via email at info@nanaimochamber.bc.ca ahead of Wednesday’s event.

The debate will be broadcast live on Shaw TV and streamed through the Chamber’s social media channels.

It will be the only debate hosted by the Nanaimo Chamber ahead of the Oct. 24 vote.

Smythe said the time and resources weren’t available to conduct similar events for Nanaimo-North Cowichan and Parksville-Qualicum which both feature segments of Nanaimo in their boundaries.

NanaimoNewsNOW is covering all three mid-Island ridings with in depth candidate interviews on major issues in Nanaimo and Oceanside.

For complete local and provincial election coverage, visit NanaimoNewsNOW’s 2020 Election HQ.

info@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @NanaimoNewsNOW