---

OurWindsor.ca
Sean Previl
September 18, 2015

---

The Windsor Independent’s Jon Liedtke is shaking up Windsor’s approach to the election.

With the idea of giving people a new way to engage their candidates, the Windsor journalist has collaborated with Rino’s Kitchen & Ale House to host the city’s first Brews and Banter political forum at 8 p.m. Sept. 23.

“It’s putting the pub back in the public debate,” said Liedtke.

The event will give those who attend the chance to freely approach any candidate from the Windsor and Essex County ridings and ask them questions about their policies, their ideas or even simply who they are as a person.

Liedtke said nothing will be off the table and there will be no moderation of what can be asked of candidates.

Currently, 12 out of the 15 candidates have signed up to attend.

From Windsor West, David Sundin of the Liberals, Conservative Henry Lau, incumbent NDP MP Brian Masse and Marxist-Leninist Party candidate Margaret Villamizar have been confirmed.

Windsor-Tecumseh will be represented at the event by Liberal Frank Schiller, Green Party candidate David Momotiuk, Cheryl Hardcastle of the NDP and Marxist-Leninist Laura Chesnik.

Rounding out the Windsor-Essex ridings, Enver Villamizar of the Marxist-Leninist Party, NDP candidate Tracey Ramsey, Liberal Audrey Festeryga and Jennifer Alderson of the Green Party will all be available to talk about Essex.

Jo-Anne Gignac, Conservative candidate for Windsor-Tecumseh, will not be attending due to scheduling conflicts. In addition, Essex incumbent Conservative MP Jeff Watson and Windsor West Green Party candidate Cora LaRussa have yet to confirm their attendance.

---

Brews and Banter shaking up the Windsor’s political scene (ourwindsor.ca)

---