Four of the six candidates running in the Portage-Lisgar riding showed up for a debate at the Eagle Fire Youth Centre in Portage last night.

Green Party candidate Bev Eert says there is one major topic that needs to be discussed.

"Climate change. There is no Planet B. All the rest of what we're discussing, is secondary to life on Earth," says Eert.

Liberal candidate Ken Werbiski brought up some social issues.

"We need to address homelessness and we need to address addictions issues," says Werbiski. "We need to address violence and crime. Those are things that are all inter-connected. Those are all social issues. Unless we can admit that we have a problem, we will never be able to work on the problem."

Aaron Archer of the People's Party says the issues differ depending on where in the riding you are.

"As we know, the south is much different than the north and everyone has their different issues," says Archer. "Down in the south, it's more about supply management and land rights. Up here, it's crime, it's jobs, and it's all of the Aboriginal issues that come with the Indian Act."

Jerome Dondo of the Christian Heritage Party says people need to have their voices heard.

"In regards to the history of this riding, which generally has been Conservatives, it can be changed. We don't have to default to the fact that it's going to be a Conservative riding," says Dondo. "The important thing is for every voter to get out, get their voice known. When the parties look at the polling results or the voting results, they pay attention to the votes they didn't get as much as the ones they got."

Candice Bergen of the Conservatives and Cindy Friesen of the NDP were absent.

Canadians go to the polls next Monday.