All-candidate meeting turns into a some-candidate meeting (3 photos)

An Algoma University Student Union event seeking to combat low voter turnout had to deal with a different problem today — low candidate turnout.

Algoma University was host to an all-candidate meet-and-greet, in which two local candidates from the upcoming federal election engaged students walking the halls of the school.

Terry Sheehan of the Liberal Party and Green Party candidate Kara Flanagan met with students this morning to answer their questions and hand out political party swag to the university’s student body.

The purpose of the event was to encourage students to vote in the upcoming October 19 federal election.

“As we know in the previous federal election only 37 percent of youth voted, which is sad. We have so many students on this campus who have the ability to vote so why wouldn’t they?” said Casey Politano, campaign and equity director for Algoma University’s student union.

Skip Morrison — local candidate for the NDP — was in Sudbury and unable to attend, but did have staff on-hand to speak about the party and it's policies.

Politano said Conservative Party candidate Bryan Hayes did not respond to multiple email invitations to attend.

A spokesperson for the Hayes campaign said email invitations were sent to the candidate’s constituency office and were not noticed in time to attend.

In response, Politano produced a screenshot of a Facebook conversation she had in July — with Hayes or someone who administers his account — in which she was told to send email to his constituancy address.

After two sent emails which were not responded to, Politano again attempted to invite the candidate by Facebook Message last week, again with no response.

No Conservative Party representatives were present at the table discussion.

Local members of the student union have been participating in a national campaign offered by the Canadian Federation of Students called ‘It’s No Secret.’

They have been engaging students in the halls of Algoma University for the past few weeks and will continue working until the election to encourage as many students to vote as possible, no matter which party they support.

The non-partisan group laid out information on issues important to students, such as rising tuition costs, university infrastructure, women’s issues and jobs.

”We are very politically-involved. We have a political science program here. We have students who want to hear a piece of themselves in the policies but there isn’t anything in the platforms,” said Politano.

“It’s frustrating. We’re trying to tell candidates in the Sault that we are here and listening and do have an influence,” she added.

Less then 1,200 votes seperated Hayes from NDP incumbent Tony Martin in the 2011 federal election.

Some say this year's riding results may be even closer, with a tight three-way race locally.

Sheehan said speaking to politically-engaged students is a reminder of his own experiences when he was younger.

“I remember some of the leaders I met who reached out to shake my hand and talk to me. It makes a difference because a lot of times people aren’t engaged because no one has engaged them,” said Sheehan.

He became involved in the 1995 Quebec referendum, travelling to the province in support of keeping Quebec within Canada.

Upon returning to the Sault, Sheehan became involved in Carmen Provenzano's succesful campaign for MP and himself went on to be voted in as school board trustee at age 27 and later elected to city council.

Sheehan said today's engaged student could become tomorrow's elected official, business or community leader.

“I remember doing similar stuff when I was their age,” he said.

Flanagan prepared to speak with students at the event about the Green Party’s plans to eliminate tuition by the year 2020.

The Green candidate said she has heard many reasons why many students are not voting.

“It could be that we don’t have online voting. Most young people do everything online so that would be something we would want to include in our voting process,” said Flanagan.

“It could be they are disillusioned with the process, the negativity,” she added.

Josh Kusin — who was representing the NDP in Morrison’s absence — said today’s students should begin making decisions that affect them now and in the future.

“A lot of those parties — some not here today — don’t take that time and come to talk to students. This is the generation that is inheriting this country. To be able to tell them ‘this is what we are offering if we form government’ it’s incredibly important,” said Kusin.

Politano said many of the issues important to students have not been discussed in the televised leader’s debates.

“Are students not voting because parties don’t appeal to them or are parties not appealing to students because they don’t vote?” she asked.

(PHOTO: Liberal Party candidate Terry Sheehan speaks with organizer Casey Politano during a table discussion held today at Algoma University. Kenneth Armstrong/SooToday)