The All Candidates Forum in Keremeos generated the largest turnout for a politial forum in many years to Victory Hall last Wednesday, April 20. Organizers were hastily adding chairs as citizens continued to file in the door even as the meeting got underway.
Four candidates are vying for the BC Southern Interior riding seat; incumbent Alex Atamanenko, NDP; Shan Lavell, Liberal, Stephen Hill, Conservative; and Bryan Hunt, Green Party.
Candidates were each given three minutes for opening remarks, followed by a presentation of questions, both in written form and verbally from audience members - to which each candidate was allowed two minutes to respond to.
“This is a simple decision,” Conservative Stephen Hill told the audience in his opening remarks. “Do we want another term with the incumbent or do we want a change?” Hill noted the high unemployment statistics in the riding, saying that families were under attack. Hill’s opening remarks were focussed soley on incumbent Atamanenko as he advised the audience of the choices available.
“We’re here tonight to talk about the issues, and you’ll decide which way you want to go,” he finished.
Green Party candidate Bryan Hunt took the microphone next, noting that Hill’s math was somewhat erroneous.
“There are actually four candidates, not two, up here running,” he pointed out in repsonse to Hill’s fixation on the NDP. Hunt noted his affinity for the area, advising that the Green Party was about more than the environment, having put together a working budget, and a party platform that discussd every issue.
“We are advocating a strong economy, support for families, and a true democracy,” he said.
Liberal hopeful Shan Lavell discussed her motivation for running, focussing on her career in the healthcare industry for having the necessary credentials for which to do the job.
“I chose the Liberal party because I wanted to be solution focussed,” she said. “I’m giving myself ten years - I’ve got a big heart, I’m very smart, and I want to connect with people.”
Incumbent Alex Atamanenko told the audience that he had done his very best over the last five years, and would like to continue his work of getting the country “back on track”.
“The economy doesn’t work the way the Conservatives say,” he told the gathering. “As an MP it is my job to work through the legislative process - the government has a responsibility to work with small communities. I’m asking for a mandate to finish the job I have started.”
The first question of the forum came from moderator Carroll MacLean. He pointed out that two of the candidates, Shan Lavell and Bryan Hunt, did not live in the riding. Lavell responded that she “knew people”, acknowledging that the riding is large and governance would involve comment with all stakeholders.
“Building relationships is the key,” she said, “ and I’m a quick study.”
Bryan Hunt pointed out that he was originally from Kaslo, but had relocated to Calgary for employment reasons.
He noted that the Lower Similkameen had good leadership at the local level in Keremeos Mayor Walter Despot.
“I understand there is a National Park issue, where I’m not sure the local residents have had due consultation,” he answered.
“There are dam issues, both with the Similkameen River at Shankers Bend and west of Princeton. The loss of jobs and erosion of services is a problem similar to most regions of the country.”
Stephen Hill admitted that he was not intimately associated with the Similkameen, instead expressing his abilities as a “job creator” through his story of the purchase and subsequent reactivation of the Midway lumber mill.
Alex Atamenenko told the gathering that he had been in the valley many times, having developed a network of local politicians with whom he regularly consulted.
“I helped local orchardists find a solution to their storage issues,” he said of his work in helping to develop Cawston storage.
He discussed his work in addressing local concerns with the Shankers Bend issue as well.
A question from the audience on genetically modified organisms saw Alex Atamamenko speak knowledgeably abouth the subject as he discussed the perils of the science, especially as it applied to the growers of the Similkameen.
The question put Stephen Hill on the offensive, deriding Atamanenko’s GMO private members bill as “lacking in substance” and “one sentence legislation.”
“GMO’s are not going away,” he assured the crowd, noting rising populations and the need to produce food as reasons for the science
“We can’t defeat GMO’s on a world scale, but we can create a GMO free zone in the valley.”
Hunt declared that the Green Party’s position was against GMO’s, adding that they would stop funding federally sponsored research into the subject.
“The reality is there has not been enough testing - this is a silent war between individual growers and big business interests like Monsanto,” he said.
Shan Lavell said that the Liberal party was all about science research but agreed that Canada did not need corporate culture influencing our food base.
“Some people refer to the University of Guelph as Monsanto U because of the research they do there,” she noted.
Another question from the audience regarding committed funding to municipal infrastructure had Lavell wander off topic to a discussion on health care and “social infrastructure issues.”
Atamanenko noted that two partially federally funded highway projects in the riding had been done where there was little local demand for them.
“The improvements to the highway approach to Nelson, and the widening of Highway 97 north of Osoyoos were two projects no one needed or wanted,” he said, “where that money could have been applied to the universally sought improvements for Highway 3 east of Manning Park.” Atamanenko cited studies that showed corporate tax cuts inciting a $.40 return on each dollar invested, where investments in housing and child care elicited $1.40 for each dollar invested.
Two questions from the audience came from Oliver residents, who targetted Atamanenko over the gun registry vote and his economic platform. Other questions pertained to voter apathy amongst the youth, policy to deal with credit card interest, and foreign aid.
The credit card issue had Hill respond defensively to bank policy,while the other three candidates derided the bank’s policies of high credit card interest and huge profits.
A question regarding the Conservative’s issues with Parliament and the party’s ability to gain the trust of the house was answered by Hill first, who declared that most Canadians saw the election as “wasteful” and that the people would decide whether or not it was about the Conservative party’s contempt of Parliament charge on May 2.
Atamanenko answered that the election was due to the House’ loss of confidence in the government.
“The Prime Minister engineered this election - we have all seen the lead up of disgusting ads attacking Liberal leader Ignatieff, as well as the ones eliciting the spending merits of the Conservatives. This election is about trust.” The statement elicited applause from the audience.
Lavell stated that election costs were “Peanuts compared to what we are spending on fighter jets - the numbers don’t add up... we don’t trust these people.”
Hunt mentioned Conservative math once again, noting that, “It comes back to Conservative math - after the contempt of Parliament charge and all the other shenanigans, they claim that it’s the other parties are spending your money on the election... I hope it’s not a waste of money.”
The meeting ended with each candidate being given two minutes for closing remarks.
Atamanenko noted the excellent turnout for the meeting.
“Democracy is alive and well in Keremeos,” he said, requesting a mandate to continue the fight to bring humanity to government at the federal level.
Lavell assured the audience that the Liberal platform was “big and brilliant” and that she would bring a knowledge of health care and early childhood development to the job.
“The Liberals are human rights champions who can take care of business and take care of each other,” she said.
Bryan expressed admiration for the work Atamanenko had done during his time in office, qualifying the comment by saying,
“But I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think I could do better,” to a scattering of laughter from the crowd. He gave grades to the other parties, saving a failing grade for the Conservatives.
Hill reiterated in his closing remarks that the election was not about him, but you .
“A vote for Alex means the same thing for four more years. We are the Newfoundland of B.C.
Read the budget. There is no provision for jets or jails in the budget. You’re getting false info.”
In a parting shot, Hill also commented that, “The biggest beneficiary of banks is our own MP, because the teachers pension plan holds a large investment in banks.”