One of the candidates in the federal North Okanagan-Shuswap riding is concerned about not being given the opportunity to speak at #ClimateStrike Salmon Arm.
The walk on Sept. 20, which began at the Ross Street Plaza and wound up at city hall for speeches, was one of hundreds of protests around the world demanding action on global warming.
Kyle Delfing, the People乌鸦传媒檚 Party of Canada candidate, told the Observer he Facebook-messaged the organizers of the walk early last week but received no response. He said he was then messaging with one organizer who was also involved with an environmental debate. He said he asked twice to speak at Friday乌鸦传媒檚 strike but received no response to that question, only to other ones he asked.
He attended the gathering at Salmon Arm乌鸦传媒檚 city hall. As the protesters were arriving, he said Marc Reinarz, the Green Party candidate, came up to him and told him he needed to leave.
乌鸦传媒淚 was completely told to leave by the Green Party candidate because 乌鸦传媒榯hese people are convinced, you乌鸦传媒檒l never change their minds,乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮綕 Delfing recounts. 乌鸦传媒淚 told him, 乌鸦传媒榶ou don乌鸦传媒檛 even know why I乌鸦传媒檓 here.乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮綕
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He said they got into a conversation about what each stands for, and then Reinarz went to give his presentation.
乌鸦传媒淚t was rude. I乌鸦传媒檓 not sure what he was worried about that day but he was certainly concerned,乌鸦传媒� Delfing says.
乌鸦传媒淎ll I wanted乌鸦传媒� was to tell the kids, yes there乌鸦传媒檚 climate change, taxation will never stop it, it will only put you into poverty. The Green New Deal is 300 trillion dollars, the plan to get that 300 trillion is to tax you and to put Canada into a debt-to-GDP ratio that乌鸦传媒檚 maximum, and that乌鸦传媒檚 not going to be good for your life乌鸦传媒ξ谘淮綕
He says at the end of the speeches he was approached by youth organizers and other protesters and was given about 20 minutes to speak to them as they were curious why he was asked to leave.
Reinarz, however, contends he didn乌鸦传媒檛 ask Delfing to leave; 乌鸦传媒淚 asked him to stand back and not disturb the speakers. I might have asked him to keep the signs down.乌鸦传媒�
Asked if he thought Delfing was going to disrupt the speeches, Reinarz replied: 乌鸦传媒淚 didn乌鸦传媒檛 know what to expect 乌鸦传媒� there was nothing unfriendly about it.乌鸦传媒�
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Julia Beatty organized the climate strike in Salmon Arm.
乌鸦传媒淚 invited those candidates whose parties had platforms on climate change to say a few words. I think the People乌鸦传媒檚 Party of Canada doesn乌鸦传媒檛 acknowledge climate change, so why would I invite him to speak?乌鸦传媒�
She adds: 乌鸦传媒淗e didn乌鸦传媒檛 contact me to discuss it, so I didn乌鸦传媒檛 really think twice about it.乌鸦传媒�
Beatty emphasizes that it was a strike in support of climate change action.
乌鸦传媒淚f you want to have your own rally, whether climate change is occurring, that乌鸦传媒檚 fine.乌鸦传媒�
She adds that Delfing and his supporters spoke to people after the rally and were very respectful.
乌鸦传媒淭hey were welcome to raise their signs and talk to whoever they wanted乌鸦传媒� It乌鸦传媒檚 their right to voice their opinions.乌鸦传媒�
Asked if Reinarz was told to tell Delfing to leave, she said she can乌鸦传媒檛 speak for what someone else might have told him.
乌鸦传媒淭hat direction certainly didn乌鸦传媒檛 come from me.乌鸦传媒�
Regarding speeches, she reiterates: 乌鸦传媒淗e (Delfing) wasn乌鸦传媒檛 invited to speak and he never spoke with me about whether or not he could speak. If he wanted to speak, he should have spoken with me directly.乌鸦传媒�
marthawickett@saobserver.net
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