​What you need to know about Disability Matters: Vote 2016's Great Disability Debate


What is an election debate:

An election debate is an opportunity for candidates who are running in the election to come together to answer questions that the organizers have carefully developed. For the Disability Matters: Vote 2016 Great Debate, we will have representatives from the Conservative Party, the Green Party, The Liberal Party and the New Democrat Party. Often debates hosted by interest groups will only ask questions related to one specific election topic. In the case of the Disability Matters: Vote 2016 Great Debate, we will be asking each candidate questions related to the top five priorities. You can read those priorities at http://disabilitymatters2016.ca/priority-issues

What will happen at the event:

On the day of the Great Debate, the ballroom at the Norwood Hotel will be set up so that all of the candidates and the moderator (to be announced) will sit at the front of the room. The audience members will sit theatre style to fill the room in order to listen and observe the candidates answering the questions. The questions will be prepared by the Disability Matters: Vote 2016 Great Debate Committee and Steering Committee; there will NOT be an opportunity for the audience to ask questions.

There will also be cameras set up for the live stream and media will be invited to attend.

If more people show up than the ballroom can accommodate, a live stream will be available in a smaller meeting room and in the hotel lounge (must be 18+ to sit in the lounge).

What is the audience’s role at the event:

Part of the goal of this campaign is to demonstrate to the politicians and to the public (through the media) that the support for Disability Matters: Vote 2016 is HUGE. Ensuring that the people who are running for office see our group as a large, strong and organized force will ensure that disability issues become a part of the election conversation and make it easier to advocate for the changes we so desperately want to see after the election.

Therefore, showing up is a big part of the audience’s role.

Additionally, we are keenly interested in understanding the answers that the candidates will give to the questions on Disability Matters as well as their interactions with one another. With that in mind, it will be important that attendees are able to sit in a (likely crowded) room for a minimum of 2 – 2.5 hours and be interested in listening to the candidate responses.

What if I don’t want to attend in person?

We understand that this format is not easy or interesting for everyone. Disability Matters: Vote 2016 is live-streaming the event so that people can watch and participate in the comfort of their home, or gather with friends and family to watch in a comfortable environment.

Tune in via live stream on March 31, 2016 at 10am – 12pm

Live stream feed (audio/ASL): https://www.periscope.tv/dmv2016mb

Live stream feed (audio/note-taking): https://www.periscope.tv/DMV2016Debate

If the time doesn’t work, we will also provide the live-stream recordings for viewing on our website after the event.

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