Even though he wasn’t at the all-candidates meeting last night, Hugh Stevenson was endorsed by United Steelworkers Local Union 2251 in a vote held after the debate.
Stevenson, who is running for the Conservative Party, did not attend last night's meeting at the Royal Canadian Legion or any of the other debates that have been held in Sault Ste. Marie.
All of the other candidates running to be the member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie - Algoma participated, including Liberal incumbent Terry Sheehan, Robyn Kiki Eshkibok of the Green Party of Canada, New Democratic Party candidate Laura Mayer, and James Collins of the Christian Heritage Party of Canada.
Approximately 50 people watched the meeting, although Mike Da Prat, union president, wouldn’t say how many members voted.
He said they may have been voting for a change of government instead of for the local candidate.
“What it tells me is a large number of people have made up their mind . . . not based on an all-candidates meeting but based on some other information,” Da Prat said.
“It may be the leader is who they voted for.”
Voters will head to the polls on April 28.
With files from Kenneth Armstrong.