The four federal candidates in Provencher took part in a forum Thursday night in Steinbach. The theatre at Steinbach Regional Secondary School was largely packed with partisan party supporters who cheered loudly at times for their candidate's responses. The candidates responded to a wide variety of questions from the floor ranging from, how to get young people more engaged in politics, to how to improve cell phone service, to abortion and how to develop more senior's facilities like personal care homes. They mostly reiterated the comments of their leaders on the various matters.

As for local election priorities, one of the questions candidates were asked was: What is the most important issue in Provencher?

Conservative Ted Falk gave this response.

"Keeping the economy strong. Making sure that we've got dollars in this community to keep infrastructure up to date and ready so that we can develop, we can continue to grow. The other thing is in Provencher here, we want to make sure that our family values are respected. That's important and I think that's something that I've been noted for fighting for hard in Ottawa."

Liberal Terry Hayward says voters in the riding are very concerned about the state of the economy under the Conservative government.

"The key thing I'm being told at the door is there are people very concerned about the economy, the lack of buying power they have, seniors not having enough money at the end of the month to pay for their medicine, if they can afford to pay for food. Jobs and the economy, that's number one. I think the key thing here too is that we've got to get an investment in 'green' industry. We've got to get our youth employed looking into clean technology, green technologies."

NDP candidate Les Lilley says, beyond the economy and jobs, a key issue in the riding involves First Nations, many of which have people living below the poverty line.

"We are now being criticized by the Human Rights Watch that these people are living below any poverty line. We have three First Nations in Provencher. One at Shoal Lake, those people have been under a boil water advisory for 17 years. It is absolutely atrocious and I think we should be ashamed of ourselves. And I think we should address that first before anything else."

Green Party candidate Jeff Wheeldon says a big issue for local dairy farmers is the future of supply management under negotiations on a Trans Pacific Partnership Trade deal.

"That (supply management) is currently under fire under the Trans Pacific Partnership which is being negotiated behind closed doors and without Parliamentary votes on the subject. The Prime Minister has taken it on himself. A really big thing in Provencher that I think we really have an opportunity for is clean energy infrastructure. We have more sunshine than anywhere else in the country, we have a lot of wind here, we have a lot of space to be setting up clean energy infrastructure."

The question that drew some of the louder audience responses was whether Members of Parliament should be able to vote according to their conscience on abortion.

Here's the response of Liberal Terry Hayward.

"Let me be clear, I'm not for abortion. I don't know anybody who's for abortion so, on moral issues, yes I will vote my conscience. But, it's going to be with input of the people of this riding. I'll try and get the majority reading. I'll take whatever input I can from the people because I will be your voice in Ottawa."

NDP candidate Les Lilley says,

"I am pro choice. I believe sometimes abortions are necessary and I'm pro choice. I'm not going to hide it, I'm not going to give any hidden statement. That's the way it is."

Conservative Ted Falk says he is at odds with Prime Minister Stephen Harper on this subject because Harper refuses to re-open the abortion debate.

"I think we can do better than we are because right now we're in bad company. We're in the company of China, we're in the company of North Korea, we have no abortion law. We can do better. Prime Minister Harper allows us to vote our conscience and, on that issue, he will allow us to vote our conscience. He's not going to bring it up. Private members can, private members will."

Green candidate Jeff Wheeldon says his party would allow members to vote according to their conscience on every piece of legislation and that includes abortion.