The writ is yet to drop but parliamentary candidates are already thinking about the upcoming election.

And, so is the electorate.

In front of around 150 people at the Mary Irwin Theatre on Saturday night, 11 of 12 MP hopefuls from both the Kelowna-Lake Country and Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola ridings faced voters for the first time this election season.

The forum saw CBCsa国际传媒檚 Chris Walker throw several complicated issues to the candidates, with only two minutes to answer the nightsa国际传媒檚 main topics and one minute for audience questions. Topics such as pharmacare, income security, national housing and seniorssa国际传媒� care, were covered.

Through their answers, those accustomed to the hot-seat and those fresh to federal politics showcased personalities and policies.

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John Barr, the Peoplesa国际传媒檚 Party of Canada candidate for Kelowna-Lake Country, answered a question about how his party would get pipelines built, something that has been lauded by party leader Maxime Bernier. His answer elicited scattered laughs throughout the audience.

sa国际传媒淲hat will I do?sa国际传媒� said Barr, who spent much of the night leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed. sa国际传媒淕ee, I donsa国际传媒檛 know how to answer that question.sa国际传媒�

He continued, sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檒l answer it as best I can. I understand that Bernier has means in which to enforce, based on the economic means of the country, that these pipelines get built. Thatsa国际传媒檚 my answer.sa国际传媒�

Walker prodded him for a more specific answer as to what those means would be, to which Barr responded: sa国际传媒淚 donsa国际传媒檛 know what those means are.sa国际传媒�

Others also garnered laughs, although through more intentional methods.

When asked about why he wanted to be MP, Robert Mellalieu, Green Party candidate for the Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola riding, explained he understands itsa国际传媒檚 a tough job, citing the amount of the time hesa国际传媒檚 seen incumbent Conservative MP Dan Albas spend away from home.

sa国际传媒渟a国际传媒� And besides, my wife says I should go as often as I can,sa国际传媒� Mellalieu said, extracting chuckle from the crowd.

He also ended every question with a variable one-liner that drew more giggles as the evening went on.

sa国际传媒淰ote Green, vote smart, vote for Rob.sa国际传媒�

NDP candidate for Kelowna-Lake Country, Justin Kulik, drew his praise more in applause than in laughter.

He opened the night by stating he is the youngest federal candidate in Canadian history at just 18-years-old.

His age, however, did not hold him back from taking jabs at the more experienced politicians at the table with him.

When answering a question about how his party would finance universal pharmacare he turned the ire towards the Liberal Party.

sa国际传媒淭hey say theysa国际传媒檝e supported universal pharmacare since 1993,sa国际传媒� Kulik said. sa国际传媒淭hey spent many of those years in government, and many of those in a majority government. The question is: why havensa国际传媒檛 you gotten it done? The answer is: because itsa国际传媒檚 a carrot theysa国际传媒檙e dangling in front of you for elections that theysa国际传媒檙e going to pull away on Oct. 22.sa国际传媒�

Kulik was also asked whether or not he supported detox for addicts before housing. His answer prompted raucous applause from the audience.

sa国际传媒淚 support taking the scientific approach to do whatever makes the most sense,sa国际传媒� Kulik said.

sa国际传媒淪tudy after study has found that requiring people to detox before housing them is not effective. What has been found is that by giving them a place to call home is the first step in allowing people to integrate themselves into society.sa国际传媒�

Present candidates for Kelowna-Lake Country also included incumbent Liberal MP Stephen Fuhr, Conservative Tracy Gray and the Marijuana Partysa国际传媒檚 Darrin Fiddler.

Gray was present for the first half of the forum but had to leave early due to a prior commitment. Green Partysa国际传媒檚 Travis Ashley was not present due to a wedding he had committed to cater before he became a candidate.

Other candidates in attendance for Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola riding included incumbent Conservative MP Dan Albas, Liberal Mary Ann Murphy, the NDPsa国际传媒檚 Joan Philip, Allan Duncan for the Peoplesa国际传媒檚 Party of Canada and the Marijuana Partysa国际传媒檚 Brynn Jones.

As of right now, three more federal election forums are scheduled for the Central Okanagan ridings:

• Sept. 19 - 7 p.m. at the Kelowna Senior Citizensa国际传媒檚 Society hall
• Sept. 21 - 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Kelowna Downtown Library
• Oct. 16 - 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at the Coast Capri Hotel

Election day is Oct. 21.

michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
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