Rick Swenson, Deb Higgins and Derek Hassen

 What was being billed as the first "all candidates" forum in Moose Jaw for the 2011 election campaign turned into a three candidate forum Thursday night.

Just three out of the eight candidates running in Moose Jaw's two ridings took part in the event held at the Moose Jaw Union Centre by the Moose Jaw and District Labour Council. PC Leader Rick Swenson for Moose Jaw North, NDP candidate Derek Hassen for Moose Jaw North, along with Wakamow NDP incumbent Deb Higgins were the only ones to attend.

Missing were both Green Party candidates, both Saskatchewan Party candidates and Tom Steen for the PC Party in Moose Jaw Wakamow. But the show must go on and the questions started to flow.

Jobs, the hospital, rent control, revenue sharing and many other items were all discussed at the forum. In particular, Higgins talked about the cost of utilities, housing and the price of putting food on the table. She says people are feeling the pinch and something needs to be done.

"Affordability. Everybody's feeling squeezed. When you look at the cost of groceries going up by 10%, rent in the City of Moose Jaw has been increased over the last couple of years by anywhere from 10 and 70%. There has to be something done immediately to address it."

As expected, the new hospital project in Moose Jaw was also brought up at the forum last night, considered by many to be the number one election issue in the Friendly City. PC Leader Rick Swenson says the project is one thing, but there needs to be a different approach taken to providing services to patients.

"You are 40 minutes form all of the specialists in Regina. In most of our major cities, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Toronto, 40 minutes is a normal commute," said Swenson. "There is absolutely no reason that you couldn't put an entire medical team into a van and, in 40 minutes, have them in this health facility doing procedures that they do anywhere else."

There is another election forum on the schedule before we go to the polls November 7th. The Moose Jaw and District Chamber of Commerce is hosting an event of their own on Tuesday, November 1st at the Heritage Inn. The event is open to everyone.