Those seeking spots as trustees on the School District No. 57 (SD57) board of education will have a chance to speak to issues facing the district at an all-candidates forum.
The District Parent Advisory Committee (DPAC), the Prince George District Teachers Association (PGDTA), and CUPE, the union for K-12 support workers and custodians, is hosting the trustee forum Wednesday Sept. 28 at Vanier Hall from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
The forum is open to the public so voters can attend and learn more about each candidate.
“Each of the organizing organizations has submitted or will submit a question to the moderator,” explained PGDTA president Daryl Beauregard.
“The moderator will ask each of those questions in turn and then we are going to ask that each trustee candidate in one minute to provide information or a value statement on how Indigenous education can relate to their roles.”
Beauregard noted the forum is important because trustees are the elected face of the board, and with only two incumbents running for re-election, there will be a lot of change in the district.
“They have very sincere responsibilities for our vision for education locally,” said Beauregard, adding the focus on Indigenous education during the forum will be especially significant.
“We're hoping that how we do Indigenous education and how we serve marginalized groups and students in our community is something that we can do better.”
There are 13 candidates running for the five Prince George spots on the board of education.
Two additional seats are reserved for representatives from the rural communities of the Robson Valley and McBride, however, as Rachael Webber and Bob Thompson are also the only candidates for those respective categories, they have won by acclamation.
More information on the trustee candidates can be found below:
Prince George voters will have a chance to cast their ballot in the municipal and school board election as early as Oct. 5.
Advance voting opportunities will be available at Prince George Conference and Civic Centre (rooms 201-203) from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Oct. 5-6.
Other advance voting opportunities will be held at UNBC, in room 7-170 in the Bentley Centre, on Oct. 11 and at the CN Centre atrium on Oct. 12. Both will run from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
General election day is Oct. 15 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
