When it comes to election misinformation, I’ve seen some posts on Facebook that are so incredible, they’d be laughable if it wasn’t for the fact some readers can’t be bothered to fact check them.
A fake photo of Liberal leader Mark Carney supposedly sitting on a beach with actor Tom Hanks and Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell comes to mind. (By the way, Snopes.com is an established, trusted place to fact check conspiracy theories of all sorts.)
So, before casting your vote my advice is do your homework. Find trusted sources outside of anonymous Facebook posts to help you decide where to place your vote. Or even better, hear what the candidates for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country have to say for themselves by attending a two-part candidates forum in the Chatelech Secondary School auditorium April 14, brought to you by Sunshine Coast Chamber of Commerce and Coast Reporter.
For those wondering about Conservative candidate Keith Roy, who was invited but missed two other all-candidates meetings on the Coast, he has confirmed his attendance to the April 14 event.
The first half is exclusively for Chamber members and will include a meet and greet and business-focussed Q&A. The fully public portion starts at 7 p.m., with candidate introductions and Q&A. The event is moderated by Michael Gurney and will be live-streamed at candidatequestions.ca and available for viewing afterward.
You can discover even more about the candidates in the April 18 election edition of Coast Reporter, when more Q&As will run and you can read their opinions in their own words.
Who is running?
The riding will see six candidates on the ballot April 28:
- Peyman Askari, People’s Party of Canada
- Lauren Greenlaw, Green Party of Canada
- Gordon Jeffrey, Parti Rhinocéros Party
- Jäger M. Rosenberg, New Democratic Party
- Keith Roy, Conservative Party of Canada
- Patrick Weiler, Liberal Party of Canada
While the Animal Protection Party of Canada previously listed a candidate for the West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country on its website, she will not be on the ballot.
Voting
All Canadian citizens who are at least 18 years old on election day are eligible to vote if they are registered. To check if you are registered or to register to vote, electors should use the Online Voter Registration Service, call Elections Canada at 1-800-463-6868 or contact their local Elections Canada office.
Residents can also register in person at their assigned polling place when they go to vote.
How to vote?
Coast residents have several ways to cast their vote, including:
- Voting on election day (Monday, April 28) at their assigned polling station.
- Advance polling days April 18, 19, 20 and 21) at their assigned polling station.
- Vote early at any Elections Canada office across the country (until April 22, 6 p.m.)
- Vote by mail: Electors must apply by Tuesday, April 22, 6 p.m. and return their special ballot by mail (deadlines apply) or in person at their local Elections Canada office before polls close on election day.
Using your postal code online, you can find the nearest Elections Canada office in your riding and your assigned polling station. Elections Canada has opened an office in Sechelt at 5672 Cowrie St.
