Grade 6 students at Dr. Ken Sauer School participate in a virtual mayoral forum on Wednesday. (Photo Courtesy Chris Brown)

By Chris Brown

Asked about COVID support, Waterfront plan

Students grill mayoral candidates in virtual forum

Oct 6, 2021 | 4:46 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The Grade 6 class at Dr. Ken Sauer School got political on Wednesday, hosting a hosted a virtual mayoral forum for the five candidates.

Teacher Hailey Gale said the municipal election fits in well with the curriculum. She says they’re learning about democracy and this is a chance to take a first-hand approach to it.

“Having candidates come in and teaching students about how to ask questions, what kinds of questions are important and being an educated voter is an important thing and skill for them to learn and have with them as they become adults and vote themselves,” says Gale.

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To get ready students broke into groups to brainstorm the questions they wanted to ask the candidates. The class narrowed them down and then selected four questions through a democratic vote.

And you wouldn’t know these are Grade 6 based on the questions they came up with about COVID supports and transparency around the Waterfront District.

“What are they willing to do to fight COVID or help fight,” is the question Logan Fudge’s group came up with. “Becuase it’s spreading really quickly here. I think they should maybe like raise the money a little bit to give to people.”

“Lots of taxes are being used for the waterfront project and people didn’t really get a vote and get to use their vote on it,” says Callie Halladay of her group’s question. “So it happened just like basically without anyone saying anything.”

Halladay was also impressed with a more kid-friendly idea she heard.

“One of the candidates decided they want to get back the waterslides and that’s a pretty good idea,” she said.

The school will host another zoom forum Thursday with 13 of the councillor candidates. Five other city schools also joined the meeting.