NDP candidate Pam Fitzerald, Green Party Candidate Mark MacKenzie and independent candidate John Turmel answered questions from a small audience. (CBC)Ottawa West-Nepean Liberal candidate Bob Chiarelli and Progressive Conservative candidate Beth Graham didn't participate in the only public all-candidates debate before Thursday's vote, disappointing many audience members.

Both blamed scheduling conflicts for their absence at Monday night's event at Woodroffe High School. It had been intended to give the public a chance to ask questions — something they didn't have a chance to do at an earlier debate televised on Rogers TV.

NDP candidate Pam Fitzerald, Green Party Candidate Mark MacKenzie and independent candidate John Turmel turned out to hear from and answer to a small audience.

Nevertheless, some people who arrived at the event hoping to hear from Chiarelli and Graham were upset. The area has been held by either a Liberal or a Conservative MPP since 1955 history both before and after the 1999 redistribution. Since 1999, no other party has ever earned more than 10 per cent of the votes.

Ian and Helen McConnachie walked out of the debate early.

"This is an opportunity for public participation, [a] chance for question and answers — it's extremely disappointing, " said Ian McConnachie. He added that he is still undecided, and the two candidates' absence could affect his vote.

'They missed the boat'

His wife said both candidates have been inundating them with phone calls and emails.

Inta Zobs said this is the second time in a week she has come out to an election event hoping to meet Chiarelli and been disappointed (CBC)"And this is the important stuff," she said. "They missed the boat."

Inta Zobs said this is the second time in a week she has come out to an election event hoping to meet Chiarelli and been disappointed.

"I've been away, so I wanted to catch up," she said, adding that she'd like to ask him some questions about local crime issues.

Alex Cullen, the local city councillor who organized the debate, said he, too, was disappointed.

"I would think that if people respect the democratic process," he said, " they'll turn out to stand the test of being asked questions by their voters."

Chiarelli, who spent the evening consulting with about a dozen seniors at the Olde Forge Community Centre a few blocks away, said the short length of the byelection campaign makes it a challenge to fit everything in.

'We're all very busy'

"We're all very busy," he said. "Sometimes we pull our hair out to try and accommodate everybody…and sometimes it's just not possible."

Bob Chiarelli said the short campaign makes it hard to fit all events in. (CBC)Graham's campaign staff said she was scheduled to visit retirement homes in the riding that night and campaign door-to-door, but refused to provide Graham's location.

Chiarelli had previously served as MPP for Ottawa West from 1987 to 1997. Two years later, a redistribution created the new riding of Ottawa West-Nepean from 75 per cent of Ottawa West, 40 per cent of Nepean, and 20 per cent of Ottawa-Rideau.

Liberal Jim Watson was the most recent MPP to represent the riding, but he announced in January that we would resign to run for Ottawa mayor.