Thursday, April 19, 2012

Campaign on the Clock Connects Voters to Candidates

FUSION Saint John, Saint John Board of Trade and UNBSJ’s Students’ Representative Council present speed-networking event for members and municipal candidates.
With a full slate of names on Saint John’s municipal election roster, three local organizations have partnered to host an event to help voters put faces to names and connect with mayoral and ward candidates. FUSION Saint John, the Saint John Board of Trade and UNBSJ’s Students’ Representative Council (SRC) will co-host Campaign on the Clock, a speed-networking event that gives voters a chance to meet the candidates one-on-one.
“It’s important that voters be engaged in the political process and make informed decisions when casting their ballots,” says Imelda Gilman, president of the Saint John Board of Trade. “By partnering together to host this event, we’re extending our reach beyond our own memberships, and giving participants both a chance to interact directly with candidates and learn more about their platforms. Moreover, it allows for members from three organizations that represent different demographics a chance to connect with one another and discuss the upcoming election.”
This is the second time FUSION and the Saint John Board of Trade have hosted Campaign on the Clock, which was first held in 2008. By partnering with UNBSJ’s SRC, the hope is to engage Saint John’s student population in the political process by giving them direct exposure to the candidates.
All of the mayoral and ward candidates have been invited to attend Campaign on the Clock, and the host organizations expect that candidates running in all four Wards, as well as at-large and for mayor, will be in attendance. In addition, Michael Quinn, Elections New Brunswick’s Chief Electoral Officer, will be on hand with helpful voter information. There will be complimentary appetizers and a cash bar.
What: Campaign on the Clock 2012
When: May 3, 5:30p.m.-8:00p.m.
Where: Market Square Atrium
Who: FUSION Saint John, Saint John Board of Trade, UNBSJ Student Representative Council
About FUSION Saint John
FUSION is a networking group for active, civic-minded greater Saint John residents.
We serve as a catalyst for engagement through networking, partnerships and events, and are a leader in the movement that is helping to prevent the migration of educated young people to larger cities and to encourage those who have left to return to the greater Saint John region.
We strive to breathe new life into greater Saint John, and make it the premier place to live, work and play.
About Saint John Board of Trade
The Saint John Board of Trade is a nationally accredited business organization with distinction dedicated to fostering an economic climate that enhances growth, prosperity, and an improved quality of life in the community. With more than 1,000 members, representing 600 small, medium, and large businesses and organizations and therefore, the interests of more than 30,000 citizens, the Board is a dynamic advocate and the principal voice for the business community of Greater Saint John. It offers a variety of programs, activities, services, and networking opportunities designed to enhance the business prospects of members and the overall business climate of the area.
About UNB Saint John Students Representative Council
Established in 1967, the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) of the University of New Brunswick in Saint John (UNBSJ) is a non-profit, apolitical organizations run by students for students. The SRC is an organization made up of approximately 2400 full-time and part-time undergraduate students. As an SRC we offer many essential services to our students such as; health and dental insurance plan, student legal aid, clubs, societies, student activities, social events, federal and provincial lobbying, student employment and more! With the help of the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) and the New Brunswick Student Alliance (NBSA) we will be lobbying tuition hikes, copyright issues, student debt, student loans application process and bursaries.
For more information:
Claire Ryan
FUSION Saint John
506-672-1860 x1
cryan@mtlpr.ca
Imelda Gilman
President, Saint John Board of Trade
506-634-4157
igilman@sjboardoftrade.com
John Runcie
VP External, UNBSJ SRC
506-648-5687
Src-external@unbsj.ca