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 Peoplesa国际传媒檚 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 Fridaysa国际传媒檚 strike but received no response to that question, only to other ones he asked.
He attended the gathering at Salmon Armsa国际传媒檚 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.
sa国际传媒淚 was completely told to leave by the Green Party candidate because sa国际传媒榯hese people are convinced, yousa国际传媒檒l never change their minds,sa国际传媒檚a国际传媒� Delfing recounts. sa国际传媒淚 told him, sa国际传媒榶ou donsa国际传媒檛 even know why Isa国际传媒檓 here.sa国际传媒檚a国际传媒�
Read more:
Read more:
He said they got into a conversation about what each stands for, and then Reinarz went to give his presentation.
sa国际传媒淚t was rude. Isa国际传媒檓 not sure what he was worried about that day but he was certainly concerned,sa国际传媒� Delfing says.
sa国际传媒淎ll I wantedsa国际传媒� was to tell the kids, yes theresa国际传媒檚 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 thatsa国际传媒檚 maximum, and thatsa国际传媒檚 not going to be good for your lifesa国际传媒a国际传媒�
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 didnsa国际传媒檛 ask Delfing to leave; sa国际传媒淚 asked him to stand back and not disturb the speakers. I might have asked him to keep the signs down.sa国际传媒�
Asked if he thought Delfing was going to disrupt the speeches, Reinarz replied: sa国际传媒淚 didnsa国际传媒檛 know what to expect sa国际传媒� there was nothing unfriendly about it.sa国际传媒�
Read more:
Read more:
Julia Beatty organized the climate strike in Salmon Arm.
sa国际传媒淚 invited those candidates whose parties had platforms on climate change to say a few words. I think the Peoplesa国际传媒檚 Party of Canada doesnsa国际传媒檛 acknowledge climate change, so why would I invite him to speak?sa国际传媒�
She adds: sa国际传媒淗e didnsa国际传媒檛 contact me to discuss it, so I didnsa国际传媒檛 really think twice about it.sa国际传媒�
Beatty emphasizes that it was a strike in support of climate change action.
sa国际传媒淚f you want to have your own rally, whether climate change is occurring, thatsa国际传媒檚 fine.sa国际传媒�
She adds that Delfing and his supporters spoke to people after the rally and were very respectful.
sa国际传媒淭hey were welcome to raise their signs and talk to whoever they wantedsa国际传媒� Itsa国际传媒檚 their right to voice their opinions.sa国际传媒�
Asked if Reinarz was told to tell Delfing to leave, she said she cansa国际传媒檛 speak for what someone else might have told him.
sa国际传媒淭hat direction certainly didnsa国际传媒檛 come from me.sa国际传媒�
Regarding speeches, she reiterates: sa国际传媒淗e (Delfing) wasnsa国际传媒檛 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.sa国际传媒�
marthawickett@saobserver.net
Like us on and follow us on
