The candidate meets the professor and the competition

Corinna Morhart got her campaign for Skeena-Bulkley Valley underway this week with a campaign stop at Northwest Community College, where the Liberal candidate faced the questions of Hondo Arendt’s political science class.

When Professor Arendt isn’t helping the inquiring minds of NWCC discover the ins and outs of the political system, he’s an active participant in it, as the Green party’s candidate for the riding in this fall’s election.

Monday however, he was purely the master of ceremonies and moderator so to speak of the lecture session, as he introduced candidate Morhart to his class, and let the inquisitive student body examine the Liberal Party's plans for Canada and Skeena-Bulkley Valley in the 2008 election.

Tuesday‘s Daily News provided some of the Cole’s Notes for us on Ms. Morhart’s trip to class, as well some of the other electioneering events that happened around town on Monday.

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Candidates hit the streets locally
Federal election hopefuls on doorsteps to talk to the city's voters
By George T. Baker
The Daily News
Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Pages one and three

A couple of Skeena-Bulkley Valley candidates were campaigning in Prince Rupert yesterday in the run-up to the federal election.

Liberal candidate Corrina Morhart kicked off her campaign in the hornet's nest known as a Northwest Community College political science class, while incumbent MP Nathan Cullen took to the streets.

Morhart accepted the invitation of Northwest Community College political science professor - and Green party candidate - Hondo Arendt to come and speak to his class about her platform and to answer questions from the students.

And she had to answer some tough policy questions.

"It's very good for me to start my campaign off this way," said Morhart.

She said that the students' questions trained her for the hard questions she will have to answer further along the campaign trail.

The questions ranged from the Liberal party's position on fish farms, to how she envisioned the riding in the future and what personal she thought made her a good candidate.

Some questions Morhart answered with ease, others she had a more difficult time answering, such as the Liberal fish farm policy, and for some she said that she would have to "check and get back" to the questioner.

Though, with fish farms, she did clarify her own position.

"I'm not for (fish farms) and I've stated that before. If God wanted there to be Atlantic salmon in the Pacific Ocean there would be," said Morhart.

Morhart emphasized northern health issues again, saying that it was wrong that Prince Rupert does not have a dialysis machine in its hospital while Houston, Prince George and Vancouver do.
"I think that's unacceptable," said Morhart.

Student Cindy Huynh asked what Morhart would do about the city and riding's economic landscape.

"Economics are definitely a primary focus. Getting people back to work and out of poverty is what I would like to be given the chance to help," answered Morhart.

Riding incumbent and NDP candidate Nathan Cullen campaigned in Prince Rupert Monday knocking on doors.

Conservative Party candidate Sharon Smith has announced that her campaign will focus on a balanced plan for sustainable development for the Skeena-Bulkley Valley riding and all of Northern British Columbia. The Mayor of Houston was on the campaign trail visiting communities in the riding.

Cullen was also in town to launch his campaign office on Second Avenue. The Liberals have opened up a campaign office on McBride and the Conservatives have opened their office on Third Avenue.