Anti-maskers force cancellation of Red Deer election forum

During Snow’s opening remarks welcoming people to the debate, she emphasized the importance of following RDP’s rules regarding masking, because any COVID outbreaks might force them back to online learning.

Snow said she’s extremely frustrated and disappointed this was the outcome to an event her and her team worked so hard to put together.

“We’ve put in an exponential amount of effort to bring this event to you guys, and it’s really frustrating that the rules couldn’t be respected here. I realize everybody in the audience made the time to come out here today and this was all we asked.”

Snow said they do recognize those who provide proof of a medical exemption from wearing a mask, which at least two members of the audience were able to provide.

She said they’ve been mulling over risk management about the event all day, speaking to school security, and the health department about how to safely put on the event.

“Ultimately it came down to us because we were hosting the event, so I had to make the decision. It wasn’t easy and I didn’t want to do it, but I’ve got to respect the rights of our students to have access to a clean and safe environment.”

Trish, who lives in the Red Deer- Mountain View riding and is a PPC voter, wasn’t wearing a mask, and was one of the audience members who provided proof of a medical exemption.

She said the organizers were made aware of at least three people in the audience with mask exemptions, including herself. However, she was not happy when they asked her to provide proof.

“They asked even to see my medical exemption, which is against the law. It’s an invasion of privacy, the Privacy Act. I’m not happy about that, but great, I showed it to them.”

This is the second time this week an election forum has been cut short, after protestors disrupted the Innisfail forum on Wednesday.

Once the crowd cleared the auditorium at RDP, a few of the candidates formed a circle on the lawn outside and held their own version of the forum, with virtually no one wearing a mask.

Several members of the RCMP did show up shortly after the event was called off, but no arrests were made as the crowd was peaceful, but disappointed with the turn of events.

(rdnewsNow/Jordan Davidson)

The candidates were still able to give brief opening statements.

The candidates for Red Deer-Lacombe spoke first, with Megan Lim, candidate for the Peoples Party of Canada (PPC) up first. She says her two sons are the reasons why she is running.

“I want them to have the opportunity to grow up in the same Alberta I was lucky enough to grow up in. A free and prosperous Alberta. If we continue down the path we’re on now, I don’t know what their futures will look like. We’ve now allowed a creation of a two-tier society based on private medical decisions.”

Libertarian candidate Mathew Watson was up next. Born and raised and still living in Lacombe, he said he’s an Alberta-boy through-and-through, and has seen lots of what our province has to offer.

“I’ve worked everything from the oil rigs in my teens to the construction industry in 2008 when the recession hit. I’m a passionate person, anybody who knows me personally can attest to that, and I look forward to bringing that passion to the political field in this current time.”

Independent Joan Barnes was quick to say she and fellow Independent from Red Deer-Mountain View Clayten Willington are running alongside Derek Sloan, the former Conservative candidate who was kicked out of caucus after accepting donations from a known white nationalist. Sloan is now running as an Independent in Banff-Airdrie.

Barnes says they are trying to “take back our country.”

“The reason I’m running is because I found myself starting to complain, and if you know me well, as soon as I start to complain I feel like I need to put my skin in the game.”

Maverick Candidate Harry Joujan opened with what would turn out to be a telling statement about how the night would go.

“Government COVID mandates have already caused three candidate forums in my riding to cancel. Potential liability to those organizing these events made it not worth the risk. I will not place the organizers of this event at risk of liability; however, I do not support government mandates and vaccines, vaccine passports, or government mask mandates.”

Finally, Conservative incumbent for Red Deer-Lacombe Blaine Calkins plainly stated this election was about the future, and what the next few years look like.

“As we come out of COVID, what do you want? Do you want a country that remains divided? Right now we have a Prime Minister that plays identity politics and divides our country. He’s pitting east against west. He’s pitting rural against urban. And now he’s pitting vaccinated people against unvaccinated people.”

Red Deer-Mountain View candidates now had their turn, with the only Liberal on the stage Olumide Adewumi speaking first. He said health was his number one priority.

“It’s very important for us to quickly fight and finish COVID-19 so we can prevent further lockdowns. We also would like to support our students, by advocating the removal of interest from federal student loans. We’d like to give voice to seniors and individuals living with disabilities.”

Incumbent Conservative Candidate Earl Dreeshen said he’s championed many causes that are important to central Albertans during his years in office.

“Speaking up for our agriculture industry regarding food safety and security on the world stage. Advocating for tax fairness for farmers and other small business owners. I served as the co-chair of the Alberta Rural Crime Task Force, and my private members bill that changed the Criminal Code of Canada which is now a key provision of sentencing practices throughout the land is something that truly humbles me.”

Representing the New Democratic Party (NDP) on stage was Marie Grabowski. A licensed medical laboratory technologist at the Red Deer Hospital, Grabowski works in microbiology and specializes in bacterial infection. She said she admires the NDP’s consistent support for health care, education, and the environment.

“The NDP has been a strong party in parliament, and in holding our government accountable. For example, CERB was only supposed to be $1,000 a month by the Liberals, but the NDP negotiated to double that to $2,000 per month.”

The Maverick Party’s Mark Wilcox – an airline pilot and self-confessed non-politician, said he’s had enough of being ignored by Ottawa.

“The time has come for the West to send someone to parliament who’s willing to protect our likeness in much of the same way Québec protects their sovereignty. We are a Western-based party and we will never become a national party in the future. We’re Western-based and we’re Western-concerned.”

Jared Pilon with the Libertarian party is a former oil patch worker and current public accountant. Pilon says he’s been actively engaging with his followers on his website for the last 18+ months.

“I’ve been providing solutions to issues, advocating for small businesses, promoting individual liberties, and fighting for our charter rights and freedoms. Whether or not I’m elected to parliament, I promise to keep fighting for our riding.”

Kelly Lorencz with the Peoples’ Party of Canada was the only candidate on stage who repeatedly removed his clear-shield face covering. A veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces, Lorencz says he offers his experience in many areas of concern for constituents of his riding.

“I come from experience dealing with crime, addiction, mental health issues, which the people of Canada are experiencing due to the lockdowns because of COVID-19. The People’s Party of Canada offers Canadians a principled alternative to the current establishment parties.”

The federal election is Sept. 20. Advanced voting is available Sept. 10-13.

More information can be found here at Elections Canada.

by Jordan Davidson (Twitter: @JordanDHeyNow)

Anti-maskers force cancellation of Red Deer election forum

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