Not on stage: CBC Windsor's mayoral debate today at 4 p.m
Not on stage: CBC Windsor's mayoral debate today at 4 p.m. has 3 of 11 candidates: Dilkens, Francis, Pasquach. Danyluk, Graves, Grayer's campaign, Morencie and Sutherland say CBC didn't invite them. Vaupotic: "I think it was a no." CBC did not respond by publication.
CBC Windsor's live mayoral debate is today, Tuesday, Oct. 6, at 4 p.m., with Drew Dilkens, Fred Francis and Kat Pasquach. The 45-minute debate streams on the CBC Windsor website, YouTube channel and FAST channel. Eleven candidates are running for mayor in the Oct. 26 municipal election.
CBC's Oct. 2 announcement names the three participants but does not say how they were chosen or whether other candidates were invited.
What the candidates said
On Sunday, Oct. 4, Windsor News emailed the other eight mayoral candidates to ask whether CBC Windsor contacted or invited them, and for a short statement. Six told Windsor News their status. In alphabetical order:
Benjamin Danyluk said, "No, I was not invited." He said he was invited to every debate in 2022 and is upset to be "denied a voice in what's supposed to be a free and fair election."
Dylon Graves said, "Nobody reached out to me." He said giving air time to some candidates and not others amounts to an endorsement: "Invite everyone or don't even have a debate."
Tara Grayer's campaign replied, "Tara was not invited."
Tristan Ty Morencie said he was not invited to any of the debates.
Patrick Sutherland said, "As of yet CBC has not contacted me to participate in the debate." He said all 11 candidates should have been invited because each was nominated and paid the filing fee.
Louis Vaupotic, asked whether CBC invited him, said, "I think it was a no." He said he would not attend in any case because of a Renaissance Center redevelopment meeting in Detroit on Tuesday.
Still waiting
Windsor News asked CBC Windsor on Oct. 4 how the three participants were chosen and whether other candidates were invited, and sent a follow-up that night. CBC had not responded by publication.
On Monday evening, Windsor News asked Dilkens, Francis and Pasquach for comment on the other candidates not being on stage, with replies requested by noon today. This story will be updated with any responses.