Potential Questions to Ask Publicly about Space Access during the Provincial Election

Directions: The following questions will help you to question candidates about the issue of community access to space. The most effective way to phrase your questions is to link them directly to your own experience. Whenever possible, support your questions with examples from your community that show the effects of escalating rental rates and reduced access to community space.

¨            What is your opinion of the value of volunteer-run, school-based programs such as Scouts and Guides? How do you believe their contributions should be supported?

¨            In the last few years, rental rates for school facilities have increased by up to 1000% in some areas. This led directly to the collapse of many volunteer-based, not-for-profit-organizations that depended on affordable space to run their programs. [Give an example from your own experience — e.g., a school-based program that has suffered or been discontinued as a result of increased permit fees.] How do you plan to help voluntary organizations cope with escalating school rental rates?

¨            Will you work to open schools to all volunteer-based, not-for-profit-organizations, such as special education groups, community groups, sport and recreation groups, and others, at affordable fees?

¨            [Give an example of how the Province’s Education funding formula has limited access to schools and how this has affected you or your community.] Do you support amending the Province’s Education Funding Formula so rents for school space or facilities can be eliminated or reduced to affordable levels?

¨            Volunteer-based, not-for-profit-organizations form a valuable part of healthy communities. [Give an example from your community showing the importance of a community service or program and the impact it would have on you or your community if it didn’t exist]. How will you ensure such programs receive the support they need to continue to provide vital community services?

¨            At all candidates pre-election meeting - try to be the first questioner if you can (it will increase your impact, and possibly affect direct questions in the rest of the meeting).  Ask/Say, "I want to ask a question about the rental cost of facilities to volunteer community groups, (pause briefly, for effect) but first I want to ask everyone here to join me in 10 seconds of silence for groups that have died because of the massive rental increases they have experienced."  PAUSE looking at your watch for 7 or 8 seconds, then, "Thanks."  Pause, giving people (planted) a chance to clap.  Now ask your question that causes candidates to declare where they stand on the issue, or what actions they plan to take if elected to correct the problem.