With a provincial election fast approaching voters get a chance to hear candidates views and plans for public education in School District 71.

The event will take place on April 27, at Mark Isfeld Secondary school starting at 6:30 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room.

The electoral districts of Courtenay-Comox and Mid lsland-Pacific Rim both fall within the boundaries of School District 71.

Candidates from all the parties within these two districts have been invited to attend the forum. The confirmed candidates are: Scott Fraser, NDP, Mid Island-Pacific Rim; Alicia LaRue, Green, Mid Island-Pacific Rim; Leah McCulloch, Conservative, Courtenay-Comox; Ronna-Rae Leonard, NDP, Courtenay-Comox; and Ernie Sellentin, Green, Courtenay-Comox.

After a brief introduction, each candidate will have three minutes for an opening statement.

Moderators will alternate between prepared questions submitted by partner groups and live questions from the audience. All candidates will have up to two minutes to respond to each question.

The event will be recorded and posted online.

Likely, there will not be enough time to answer everyone鈥檚 questions. Therefore, the opportunity for audience members to submit additional questions to the candidates will be made available at the event.

This event is being hosted by the Comox Valley Families for Public Education (CVFPE), with additional support being provided by the Comox Valley District Teachers Association (CDTA71), the Canadian Union of Public Employees local 439 (CUPE 439), the Board of Education trustees of School District 71, the District Parents Association Committee (DPAC71), and the Comox Valley Principals and Vice-Principals Association.

The Comox Valley Families for Public Education is a non-partisan group of parents and grandparents advocating for better public education in B.C. through increased funding, innovation and improved accountability.