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The Sustainable Environment Network Society (SENS) is raising concerns after just one of four Vernon-Lumby candidates attended the environmentally-focused all candidate forum on Thursday night.
Invitations and requests for written submissions to five key issues were extended to all candidates, including those in the Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream riding. Two out of four of those candidates attended.
The society says the lack of response from the majority of candidates is unprecedented in the riding, and is both concerning and disappointing. The group is releasing the responses candidates gave to invitations:
Vernon-Lumby
- Harwinder Sandhu, BC NDP, responded, accepting the invitation, and agreed to submit the answers in writing.
- Robert Johnson, Libertarian, did not respond.
- Dennis Giesbrecht, Conservative Party, responded, refusing both the invitation and to submit the answers in writing, with the following message:
- “Regrettably, Dennis Giesbrecht is unable to attend. As election day gets closer, the campaign needs to spend the limited time door-knocking. We wish we had infinite time to attend and do everything, but we had to make the difficult decision to prioritize voter engagement. Giesbrecht Campaign Team.”
- Kevin Acton, no affiliation, responded, refusing both the invitation and to submit the answers in writing, with the following message:
- “Thank you for the invitation to participate in the Sustainable Environment Network Society all candidate debate scheduled for October 3, 2024 at the Towne Theatre, Vernon, BC. While all of the topics to be addressed (as reported by Castanet, Vernon Morning Star and others) are of significant concern and interest to most, if not all, Vernon-Lumby constituents, it is my considered position that many of these issues cannot be responsibly discussed or debated in isolation. I am therefore going to decline participation in favour of other forums and debates wherein all matters important to our communities, stakeholders and residents can be comprehensively and thoroughly discussed and debated. It is further my considered opinion that certain community challenges cannot be addressed without context, or without a full understanding of due process, allocation of resources to other, perhaps equally compelling, challenges and a full analysis of complex issues that are irrevocably linked. I appreciate the opportunity you have given me to speak to your proposed agenda issues but I believe I would do a disservice to both the voters and myself should I accept your kind invitation. Respectfully, Kevin Action”
Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream
- Anna Warwick-Sears, BC NDP, responded, accepting the invitation, and agreed to submit the answers in writing.
- Kevin Kraft, Independent, responded, accepting the invitation, and agreed to submit the answers in writing.
- Tara Armstrong, Conservative Party, did not respond.
- Andrew Rose, BC Green Party, responded, refusing both the invitation and to submit the answers in writing, with the following message:
- “I'm sorry to say Andrew is unable to attend.” (Note: Andrew is based in Victoria).
Society raising concerns
The society defines itself as a non-partisan environmental advocate that began hosting forums in 2015 out of necessity when broader forums didn’t focus on environmental issues.
“We now know that environmental issues affect not only business, but health, food, infrastructure, forestry, water, affordability and more,” reads an email from SENS.
“Everyone’s lives have been affected by fires and floods, fires and heat domes. We hope that through these forums we can inform voters of the positions of our candidates on these very important issues.”
SENS raises three key issues with the low attendance:
- The importance of informed voting for the public
- High public reliance on all candidates forum and an average of between 2,000 and 2,900 viewers at SENS forums
- The high importance of environmental issues to all residents
The next all-candidates forum for Vernon-Lumby voters is Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre, and all candidates have confirmed their attendance.
A registration required forum is being hosted by the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce for Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream on Oct. 9 at the Coast Capri Hotel Horizon Meeting Room from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
