VOTE!

[c9]

Time to vote!

(on Cam's question at the all-candidates meeting on Wednesday)

If I have one question, and a followup, which should it be?

1. "I just got married last month -- and as many of you know, getting married is a big step and involves lots of changes. We're currently renting, but we'd like to buy a home or condo in the city, and we're even thinking about having kids someday. I'd like to ask each candidate to tell me what their party would do for my new family." (assume the standard heterocentric answers, though Alexa (local NDP MP) might catch my lack-of-pronoun game) Then I follow up with: "I don't have a wife, I have a husband. Can you explain what your party will do for me in that regard?"


2. "I'd like to ask the candidates what their position is on what's been called the 'traditional definition of marriage'?" (wait for answers, hopefully the Conservative falls into my trap) "Thank you. My husband and I just had to travel to Ottawa to get married because we can't legally get married here, and I wanted to see whether you would actually care about gay and lesbian citizens and their rights."


3. "I just wanted to ask what the candidates think about leaving marriages as opposite sex, and creating something different like civil unions for same-sex relationships. Somebody called it separate but equal." (wait for responses, again hope the Tory falls into the trap) "Thank you. Did you know that Catholic marriages used to be illegal? And interracial marriages? And that women used to not be allowed to vote? in each instance, the majority was uncomfortable with these different ideas. I'm voting for equality, not Stephen Harper's discrimination."

If I have only one question, no followup, which should it be?

1. "I just got married, and we're looking at buying our first home, and we're even thinking about kids someday. I'd like the NDP, Liberal, and Green candidates to explain what your parties would do for families like mine. Afterwards, I'd like the Conservative candidate to explain why his party thinks I'm not deserving of the same legal right of marriage that he has, just because I have a husband instead of a wife."


2. "My husband and I just had to travel to Ottawa to get married because we can't legally get married here, and I would like the candidates to tell us their party's position on whether gay and lesbian citizens should have equal rights in Canada."


3. "My husband and I just had to travel to Ottawa to get married because we can't legally get married here, and I know that Stephen Harper wants to create a Civil Union system for same-sex relationships (even though he can't, because every single province would have to agree). I would like the candidates to tell us their party's position on whether 'separate but equal' is actually equality."

Comments

[kdborg.livejournal.com]

A. Love the set up.

[gueny.livejournal.com]

I like (A) for both. I think (B) might be a bit easy for them to talk around. (C) comes across as a bit confrontational.

Just my opinion.

[nihilicious.livejournal.com]

A & C are designed to have you make the point by asking the question, while B is more focused on getting an answer to the question. Not a criticism, mind you, just an observation. Both are legitimate objectives, but keep the difference in mind when deciding which question to ask.

[strainednoodles.livejournal.com]

A all around. I love the first A though, its a nice setup.

[deah.livejournal.com]

I also vote A! It gives tham time to screw up - but makes the point nicely :)

Have fun!

[fiver00.livejournal.com]

Katherine, Tracey, and I all voted for A. Not overly confrontational but cleverly written in order to trap them. Go Cam!

[skaughty.livejournal.com]

Survey saiz... A!

Based on my observation of my own local candidates debate, my guess is that the moderator will restrict people to one question with no follow-up. About fifty to seventy-five people got up to speak at the mike, and there was only enough time to hear about fifteen of them. Moral of the story - show up early, get a seat next to the mike, and be ready to pounce when they open up the floor.

[nihilicious.livejournal.com]

The "no follow up" is consistent with what I've heard about the local debates too.