The Times-Chronicle is proud to present the second round of all-candidates question and answer following the first three questions last week to candidates running in the South Okanagan-West Kootenay riding. This week we present the responses to two questions pertinent to our region given to each of the five candidates running in this riding. Answers were limited to approximately 150 words each and were edited for typos and grammar only. Candidates’ replies are listed according to surname alphabetical order.
Question One – Polarization
The pandemic over the last year has brought out anger and increased polarization in Canadian society, increasingly mimicking the American environment.
How are you and your party working to bridge this polarization within Canadian society?
Richard Cannings, New Democratic Party
Simply, there is no place in Canada for the misinformation and bullying that we are seeing rear its ugly head. Hateful rallies at hospitals are not okay. Thinly veiled racist remarks about immigration and First Nations at all candidates’ forums is not okay. Hate speech is toxic to our society and it is not okay to say that it should be allowed. We must call it out for what it is and stand against it.
These are the tactics of white supremacists and we should never allow our political systems to amplify those voices. New Democrats believe that we cannot stand by and allow racism and bigotry to flourish in our communities, putting lives at risk. We will take on white supremacist groups with a national action plan to dismantle far-right extremist organizations and confront online hate. No one should feel unsafe or like they don’t belong.
Tara Howse, Green Party of Canada
Polarization occurs when competition overrides cooperation; when people don’t feel safe and when people don’t feel heard. People lose their voices and start to yell. The pandemic is not the root cause of polarization – it is a symptom of the eroding power people feel. The increasing political partisanship is creating division in Canada due to a perceived lack of options. Fear is driving this. People are afraid – afraid of wasting a vote or voting to keep someone out. We see the result of limited choices in the American system.
One simple fix is electoral reform. Electoral reform reduces the fear by ensuring voices are heard. It gives power back to people. The Green Party has always advocated for electoral reform. I am deeply disappointed by the NDP’s unwillingness to push this issue, despite holding the balance of power. Had this election been based on a principled stance of electoral reform, the division and anger we are seeing right now would be less apparent.
Helena Konanz, Conservative Party of Canada
At the very start of this election, experts warned and cautioned all political leaders not to politicize vaccination. Unfortunately, from day one, Justin Trudeau revealed this was a key part of his strategy, claiming all federal employees must be vaccinated or they would be fired. This turned out to be untrue and a federal government webpage was deleted as a result.
Now we see Justin Trudeau calling those who have yet to be vaccinated “stupid” and other names that is increasingly divisive and fanning the flames of anger. Our party is not name calling anyone and we have instead focused on a positive platform that will lead Canadians’ recovery from this pandemic. On a personal note, I am proud to be representing a platform and a party that brings Canadians together in how we can all move forward with a better, more accountable Conservative government.
Ken Robertson, Liberal Party of Canada
As an elected MP, I will have an open-door policy to hear all constituents. Moreover, the door swings both ways. We all must come to a common ground and compromise. The Charter of Rights & Freedoms provides us all the opportunity to speak freely on things that matter to us. Having a difference of opinion makes Canada the greatest country to live, work, and raise a family. The only concern with polarization is when it becomes a danger to others.
It is unacceptable when polarization against hospital workers makes them feel unsafe going to work. Polarization does not include objects being thrown around and that might injure children. Whether we be LPC, NDP, CPC, or GPC, we want what is best for Canada. We need to cooperate together to ensure we achieve that goal.
Sean Taylor, People’s Party of Canada Stating that the pandemic has caused polarization is disingenuous. The polarization has been caused by the nonstop lying of government officials being trumpeted by the media 24/7 for the last year and a half. We had solidarity at the beginning, but as larger amounts of people started to wake up to the lies our population has been split into two groups.
Those that continue to believe the lies they are being told, and those that don’t. The first group is scared enough to abandon personal sovereignty to the point where they are okay with government workers coercing 12-year-olds into taking an experimental gene therapy without parental consent for a virus that poses no risk to their cohort. This is insane. This has to stop. No vaccine passports, no lockdowns. These actions have hurt and weakened our nation and we will stop it. Infant Act (https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/96223_01).
[FACT CHECK: There is no evidence to support the statement regarding coercion and parental consent. Statements on ‘experimental gene therapy’ and the virus posing ‘no risk to their cohort’ are factually incorrect].
Question Two – Reconciliation
Reconciliation with Indigenous peoples remains an important issue.
What would be your government’s first step in addressing the concerns within these communities? And what would be your focus in this region?
Richard Cannings, New Democratic Party
The revelation of thousands of unmarked graves of Indigenous children has been a wake-up call for all Canadians – it is long past time for pretty words. We need real actions to implement all 94 actions of the TRC. The Liberals promised to provide clean drinking water to Indigenous communities but only delivered delays. Conservatives are still opposing UNDRIP actions towards reconciliation.
In our region, and across Canada, we must acknowledge the harm caused by the residential school system. It’s time to find every child and bring them home. We must listen to the truth of what happened, stop fighting Indigenous kids in court, demand apologies and pursue justice for so many families.
In our region, reconciliation is rooted in land and culture. We must support increased First Nations management of lands, including Indigenous knowledge on wildfire mitigation. The NDP have committed to $500 million for Indigenous-led land and water conservation efforts.
Tara Howse, Green Party of Canada
The Green Party was the first party to accept and endorse the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Calls to Justice. Reconciliation has taken on a heightened sense of urgency and need for understanding in the general public as the recovery of thousands of unmarked graves reached mass media attention. We have to increase funding for nations to conduct searches on former residential schools to return the bodies of loved ones to their families; these were sons, daughters, nieces, and nephews with names and faces.
Reconciliation is a process and not a series of steps or check boxes to be ticked. We have to take individual responsibility for learning the true history of how Canada was settled. The federal government is responsible to uphold Indigenous rights. As MP, I will work closely with Indigenous peoples, communities, nations and organizations to identify local priorities on reconciliation.
Helena Konanz, Conservative Party of Canada
Canada’s Conservatives acknowledge the deep sorrow and mourning that all Indigenous people and survivors of residential schools are experiencing. Our hearts grieve for the Indigenous communities who are sharing in this trauma. Many of our local Indigenous families had loved ones at these institutions.
Our Conservative platform calls for a swift timeline and funding to deliver on the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action 71 to 76 involving missing children and providing healing for families. In this region my focus would be to personally sit down with the leaders from our Indigenous communities and ask for their guidance and direction on how they can be better supported by Ottawa.
I believe the days of Ottawa dictating one size fits all policies to Indigenous communities must come to an end.
Ken Robertson, Liberal Party of Canada
As the only Indigenous person running in South Okanagan–West Kootenay, I understand the great importance of reconciliation. With the passing of the Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth, and families, we have created the first stepping stones for our communities and ensuring the care of children and youth is based on the needs and desires of each nation.
Moreover, the Indigenous Languages Act is another crucial aspect that aligns with the Calls to Action of the Truth & Reconciliation Commission. In the last six years, our region has not had an MP that has been a part of the government. As an MP in the government, there is much more we can accomplish.
Sean Taylor, People’s Party of Canada
Many injustices were committed in the past by the Canadian government towards Indigenous peoples, some of which are still ongoing. We cannot rewrite the past, but only seek the best way to live together harmoniously in the future. This relationship must be based on mutual respect and a balanced approach taking into account the needs of the Indigenous population and the interests of the Canadian population as a whole.
• A People’s Party government is committed to seeking options to replace the paternalistic Indian Act, which keeps Indigenous peoples in a state of dependency and allows the federal government to control most aspects of their lives, with a new legal framework that guarantees equal rights and responsibilities to Indigenous people as Canadians, and promotes the self-reliance of communities.
• A People’s Party government will respect our Constitution and treaties. It will reaffirm the federal government’s power to approve natural resources and infrastructure projects, after adequate consultations.
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