by Dave Carr

On Monday, June 4th, what will you still need to know before casting your vote in the June 7th Ontario General Election?

Oh, I know, many of you have voted, either at the Returning Office or in Advance Polling. But the greatest majority of voters have not yet, and have one more chance to hear all -- or almost all -- the candidates articulate why they deserve your support.

On Monday morning, just 3 days before Election Day, The Open Line on 560 CFOS (AM Radio) will host a live 2-hour all-candidates' debate from 9:05 to 11 a.m.

There are 8 candidates seeking your vote -- the most in any election locally since at least the 1985 campaign that resulted in a PC victory, but a Liberal-NDP coalition government. This will be, I believe, the most complete line-up of candidates of any all-candidates meeting during this campaign. 7 of the 8 candidates in this riding will be there. It is a remarkable chance to hear them out, and to ask the question you need an answer to, before marking your ballot.

To that point: It is a phone-in program. I have things I want answers to, but so do you. If you plan to call in that morning, you may call and ask a question of any candidate, group of candidates, or even all of them. I will ask that your call be in the form of a question, with no preamble, and that you then hang up and listen to the answer on the radio. The candidate you ask will get first chance to answer, but others will also then have a chance to respond.

Most days, the Open Line, by its very nature, is about you, the caller. On Monday, it will be about the 8 people seeking your support in probably the most fundamental and vital element of our democracy -- your right to be informed and freely choose the person you believe will best represent your interests at Queen's Park.

And as the Grateful Dead once sang, "What a long, strange trip it's been."

Join us for the Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound all-candidates debate, live -- Monday, June 4th, 9:05 to 11 a.m. (a special extended edition) on 560 CFOS.

You can also listen live on the internet at a favourite app, or simply by going to www.560cfos.ca. where you can click on the Listen Live logo in the upper left, and then the play arrow, centre right. Can't tune in live? The show will be put into podcast later in the day.