Conservative Shelley Downey isn’t coming to Cortes Island’s all candidates meeting.
Downey, who is vying for election in the North Island-Powell River riding, won’t be attending the Oct. 12 meeting at Mansons Hall.
Other candidates will be attending the two-hour meeting on October 12th.
They include Rachel Blaney of the NDP, Liberal Peter Schwarzhoff, and Green Mark de Bruijn.
Meanwhile, Downey’s campaign manager, Dick Clancy, said that he made the decision for her not to participate.
Clancy cited a few reasons.
He said it was “logistically difficult” for Downey to attend as it would involve two ferry rides each way and it would necessitate her staying overnight.
This, he added, would result in the Conservatives losing Downey for “nearly an entire working day at a very critical time in the campaign.”
Clancy added that the weekend of Oct. 12 to 14 is when Elections Canada is holding the advance polls and Downey will be working at getting Conservatives supporters out to vote.
He also noted that Downey is already scheduled to attend numerous all candidates meetings, including Quadra Island on October 5th.
“As I am sure you will understand managing our candidates’ time is challenging and so for the reasons I have outlined she will not be attending,” Clancy said.
The meeting runs from 2:00pm to 4:00pm.
