Residents of the Dufferin-Caledon federal riding will have the opportunity on March 27 to offer their input as to what direction Canada should be taking.

Federal Liberal candidate Bill Prout will be hosting a town hall discussion entitled Clean Energy and Canada’s Potential in the Low Carbon World. It will take place March 27 from noon to 5 p.m. at the Alton Library on 15 Station Road in Alton.

The discussion will be part of Canada at 150: Rising to the Challenge, a conference of non-partisan contributors being held in Montreal and at events across the country.

“Events like this one being held across the country open the doors of the Montreal conference and allow people from our community to take part in the national discussion about Canada’s future, and the steps we need to take now in order to have the Canada we want in 2017, our country’s 150th birthday,” said Mr. Prout in a press release.

The fact that the national conference, and the Alton meeting, was initiated by Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff, and the local meeting is being hosted by a Liberal candidate, has many understandably assuming this is a political event. The Liberals, however, are insisting the conference in non-partisan. While it is meant to play a pivotal role in formulating future Liberal policy, the party says it is welcoming input from people of all political beliefs.

“We don’t want to turn this into a political event,” said Jeff May, president of the Dufferin Caledon Federal Liberal Association. “Prominent members, with different or no party affiliations, have been invited to attend (the national conference).”

When asked if such local politicians as Dufferin-Caledon Conservative MP David Tilson or Green Party candidate Ard Van Leeuwen could participate, Mr. May said: “If they want to participate in a facilitated round table discussion, they are certainly welcome.”

Participants will be linked to the conference in Montreal through web casting and web tools which will allow them to take part in the discussion. The Alton meeting will be linked during the specific discussion on the topic of Energy, environment and the economy.

“Canada at 150 is about the future,” said Mr. Prout. “It’s about bringing together leading thinkers and doers from across Canada and around the world to grapple with what Canada can and should be when it turns 150,” Mr. Prout said, “The discussions being held and the questions raised will play a key role in the national conversation about energy, environment and the economy and in the Liberal Party’s policy development process moving forward.” Canada at 150: Rising to the Challenge is not unique in the history of the Liberal party. It is along the same lines as the 1991 Aylmer Conference and the 1960 Kingston Conference, organized by Prime Ministers Lester B. Pearson and Jean Chrétien while in opposition.

People can hook into the conference on line through www.can150.ca