When candidates arrived at the October 2 all-candidates’ meeting sponsored by Transition Sooke at the Sooke Community Hall, they weren’t lined up on stage waiting for questions from the audience. All the questions will be delivered at small tables with only one candidate present.

Each candidate sat at a table and several participants joined them and asked questions. After about 5-10 minutes, a gong sounded and participants moved to a new table.

“We like to call it speed-rating,” says Transition Sooke’s Bernie Klassen. “Participants get to move around the room and for a short time they get to ask their questions face-to-face with each one of the candidates.”

“Transition Sooke members were eager to ask questions about the climate emergency and how Sooke should respond to it,” says Klassen, “but participants asked questions about any subject area that interested them.”

There are 23 would-be council members running this year, and most of them came to the event.