A group of about 70 seniors were the first to hear from 91原创鈥檚 provincial candidates.

An all-candidates meeting on Wednesday afternoon 鈥� organized by and held for seniors 鈥� was held at St. Joseph鈥檚 Catholic Church hall in downtown 91原创 City Wednesday afternoon.

Candidates for both the 91原创 and 91原创 East ridings were given an opportunity to introduce themselves, then moved around the room answering more direct questions from seniors.

91原创 East NDP candidate Inder Johal was ill and unable to attend. 91原创 City Libertarian candidate Robert Pobran attended but did not participate as he had only filed his nomination papers the day before.

Seniors sat at tables based on which riding they live in and the candidates circulated between tables to field questions and discuss issues.

Topics of housing, health care, transportation, and the pipeline were among those broached during the session.

Marilyn Fisher, with the 91原创 Seniors Community Action Table (LSCAT), noted that the community is currently home to about 20,000 seniors. That number will grow to more than 32,000 in the next couple of decades.

She said for many, poverty will be a serious challenge.

鈥�91原创 is home to many who are not so fortunate,鈥� she said. 鈥淪ome are now found among the homeless.鈥�

So the LSCAT worked with other local seniors groups to host a forum so people could hear directly from the candidates.

91原创 riding

91原创 Green candidate Elizabeth Walker has lived and worked in 91原创 for 20 years.

鈥淕overnment has one job that is more important that anything else 鈥� promoting the health and well-being of the people it serves,鈥� Walker said.

Last year the party banned union and corporate donations, she noted.

Liberal candidate Mary Polak was first elected as an MLA in 2005.

鈥淲e all run for the same reason, we all care about the future of our community, the future of our province,鈥� she said.

She said voters need to ask themselves whether the parties鈥� plans are deliverable?

Conservative candidate Justin Greenwood noted that in about 12 years, one in four Canadians will be seniors. 鈥淲e need to have someone who will be proactive, not reactive,鈥� Greenwood said.

鈥淭he MLA of 91原创 needs to be a person who represents every single person here,鈥� he added.

NDP candidate Gail Chaddock-Costello has lived in the community for 22 years.

She said if those attending had issues not addressed at the meeting, she would take back their input to the party.

Has worked with the 91原创 Teachers鈥� Association, the B.C. Teachers鈥� Federation and the B.C. Federation of Labour.

She said she鈥檚 accustomed to working with various groups to get things accomplished.

91原创 East riding

Liberal candidate Rich Coleman ran on the party鈥檚 long history in government.

鈥淚 know the challenges families face as they age,鈥� he noted.

鈥淲e鈥檝e done a lot in 91原创 with regards to housing, hospitals, schools, and those sort of things over the past number of years.鈥�

Libertarian candidate Alex Roehl lives in the Township and encouraged people to be willing to vote for a smaller party.

鈥淚f everyone is afaid at voting鈥� then you鈥檒l never see real change,鈥� Roehl said.

Libertarian philosophy is 鈥淚 don鈥檛 infringe on your rights and don鈥檛 infringe on mine.鈥�

He added that while the party is often seen to be favour of privitation of 鈥渆verything,鈥� that鈥檚 not the position provincially.

鈥淭here are a lot of social and public programs that are very deeply embedded in this province and in our lives,鈥� Roehl noted. 鈥淚nstead what we are suggesting is adding real choice to the system that we have now.鈥�

That will increase efficiency and the quality of service, he said.

Green Party candidate Bill Masse was an economist with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans for three decades.

鈥淎s a senior I鈥檓 concerned about all the issues that you guys are,鈥� he said.

But the grandfather of 10 is also concerned for future.

鈥淭he job situation, the precarious situation of work now鈥� even educated young people have ot string together鈥� work or contracts, he said.

鈥淭he parties that have run this province back and forth for many years, I feel they are still planning through the rear view mirror,鈥� Masse said.