November is kicking off with the first of the all-candidates debates for the municipal election.
For those who missed the Burnaby NOW's previous article on the debates, there are three taking place this week.
The first was held on Tuesday, Nov. 1, by the Burnaby Inter-agency Council - comprised of Burnaby Community Connections and South Burnaby Neighbourhood House.
The council hosted an all-candidates meeting for those running for school board.
On Thursday, Nov. 3, the Burnaby Heights Neighbourhood Association is hosting an all-candidates meeting for council and school board candidates at Gilmore Community School, at 50 South Gilmore Ave. Doors open at 6: 30 p.m., and there will be a questionand-answer period from 7 to 8: 30 p.m.
Topics covered will include traffic, policing, parks and recreation, and Brentwood redevelopment and density, according to the association.
The Civic Association of Iranian Canadians is cohosting an all-candidates' meeting with the Capitol Hill Hall Association on Friday, Nov. 4 at 6: 30 p.m. at the hall, at 361 South Howard Ave.
CANDIDATES GETTING AROUND
Parties have also started to make themselves more visible, both with signs and intriguing forms of transportation.
While the Burnaby Citizens Association and TEAM Burnaby have gone the more traditional route, providing campaign signs for supporters, Burnaby's two newest parties are using different methods to get attention - and to get around.
A Parents' Voice van has been spotted around town, and two of the Burnaby Municipal Green Party candidates - Matthew Stuart and Rick McGowan - have put campaign signs on their bikes.
The mobile billboards, as they call them, are meant to draw attention to the party's commitment to reduce its carbon footprint during the election, and to TransLink's Cycling for Everyone strategy.
ONLINE RESOURCES FOR ELECTION
All of British Columbia's declared candidates - more than 2,700 of them - are now posted at www.civicvote.ca.
Civic Vote allows candidates to enter biography and platform information on their own candidate page.
"The public get easy access to a compiled list of candidates where they can compare platforms as well as take advantage of a number of other features such as linking to media reports around the province, learning more about the election process and viewing candidate videos, websites and other forms of social media," states a press release from Civic Owl Marketing Inc., the media company behind the project.
Civic Vote also has a Twitter account, @ BCCivicVote.
WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN?
Burnaby residents will be electing a mayor, eight councillors and seven school trustees in the election, which takes place on Saturday, Nov. 19.
The City of Burnaby has all the information on how to vote at its local government election website, www.burnaby.ca/OurCity-Hall/Elections.html.
For full coverage, go to www.burnabynow.com/ news/municipalelection. html for candidate profiles and election stories.
Janaya Fuller-Evans is keeping an eye on the campaign trail. If you have items to share, email Janaya, jfuller-evans@burnabynow. com.
