CANTON -- North Country Matters videotaped the Town Hall meeting in Canon April 15 and is making the recording available to everyone in the 11-county 21st Congressional District.

Organizers of the public meeting envisioned it as a vehicle to provide voter education and a public forum for thoughtful and civil discussion of issues of public policy and governance vital to our community.

21st District congressional representative Elise Stefanik, a Republican, was invited but declined to participate in the public forum. Citizens who spoke at the meeting “spoke directly to her via the camera in hopes that she and her staff would review it,” according to Donna Seymour of North Country Matters.

This event “was an example of how concerned citizens can effect civil and civic engagement on many serious issues,” Seymour said.

The YouTube link for this event is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwTikLnyDDc.

North Country Matters is a local public affairs video magazine now in its 13th year. The NCM civic partners working to educate North Country residents about critical public policy issues facing our region include AAUW-St. Lawrence County, the League of Women Voters of St. Lawrence County, and The Potsdam Public Library.

The shows are always available on YouTube. Check the websites for AAUW-St. Lawrence County (http://stlawrence.aauw-nys.org/) and the League of Women Voters of St. Lawrence County (http://slc-leaguewv.org/) for specific program links as they become available. And people are invited to visit NCM Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/NorthCountryMatters/.