This ward has 22 candidates: How do you hold a debate?

How do you organize an all-candidates meeting with 22 candidates?

Tom Cooper says it's not too hard. It just can't be a debate. And you need lots of chairs.

Cooper's organization, the Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction, will co-host an all-candidates meeting for Ward 7 byelection candidates on Monday night.

It's probably more than we've seen in this community, but let's hear from them.- Tom Cooper,Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction

There are 22 people who want Scott Duvall's old job as city councillor of the Mountain ward after Duvall became Hamilton Mountain's MP in the fall.

So far, 18 of the candidates have said they will be there, Cooper said. He's not ruling out that others might show up as well.

Cooper said he and the other organizers the Hamilton Community Legal Clinic and the Social Planning and Research Council accepted right away that it would not be a debate.

There will be just enough time in the 90-minute session for every candidate to come to the microphone for four minutes, he said. Once they get there, "really, it's up to them" how they use their brief time in the spotlight.

No head table

Because of the group's size, the candidates willbe seated in the audience, not at a table at the front of the room.

"It's not an all-candidates debate by any means," Cooper said. "It's more of a dialogue for us. It's an opportunity for residents to come out, hear about some of the issues and find out about the candidates."

There won't be time for audience questions either, but "we're encouraging candidates to stick around" and talk to residents.

Cooper said he can't remember a time when a local race has had 22 candidates.

"It's probably more than we've seen in this community, but let's hear from them," he said. "Let's hear what they have to say.

Cooper said he's seen otherdebates that have limitedthe invitations to the higher profile candidates. That wasn't an option.

"If individuals in our community have the courage to put their names forward for political office, then we need to give them the respect of having a full hearing."

The event is called This Ward Has 22 Candidates. It will be at 7 p.m. Monday at the Ukrainian Hall at 821 Upper Wentworth. Laura Babcock is moderating.

The byelection is on March 21. Here are the candidates:

• Robert Bolton
• Philip Bradshaw
• Shaun Burt
• Bob Charters
• John-Paul Danko
• Doug Farraway
• Tim Gordon
• Chelsey Heroux
• Luc Hetu
• Geraldine McMullen
• Glenn Murphy
• Paul Nagy
• Anthony Nicholl
• Jeanne Pacey
• Uzma Qureshi
• Howard Rabb
• Mohammad Shahrouri
• Donna Skelly
• Damin Starr
• Louis Vecchioni
• Robert Young
• Hans Zuriel