The NDP candidate in Langley says the Liberals are trying to smear her by dredging up an inaccurate quote from a four-year-old survey. But the president of the group that conducted the survey says he stands by the quote.
“I've been misrepresented,” said Kathleen Stephany, who is running in Langley against Liberal Mary Polak.
In 2005 Stephany ran as a Green in Langley. The Campaign Life Coalition B.C. asked candidates for their positions on abortion. Its website quotes Stephany saying, "It is my proposal that elective abortions not be paid for by the system.”
The survey was quoted in a 2005 Tyee story by Jordan Bateman, a B.C. Liberal who is president of the party's Fort Langley-Aldergrove riding association and a Langley city councilor. Liberal caucus media staff circulated the story to reporters earlier this week.
Asked about the quote, Stephany said, “I never said that.”
A teacher of ethics courses in the nursing program at Douglas College and a former coroner, Stephany said she believes abortion should not be used as a form of birth control and there should be counseling and support available to women who are unexpectedly pregnant. There should also be much stronger birth control education to reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies, she said.
“I never said [abortions] shouldn't be funded,” she said. She wishes she corrected the story and the survey at the time, she said, but was busy with the election. “I thought I would let it go and it would disappear.”
John Hof, the president of CLCBC, said the Tyee's call was the first he'd heard Stephany says she was misquoted. “I'm surprised she would say that,” he said. “I spoke with her directly . . . I stand by what's in the survey and what's been on the website for four years.”
He added, “At the time of the last election, I can state fairly categorically, that's what she said.”
If Stephany is changing her position, he said, he would be happy to record it. “I think it's probably just convenience that she doesn't like what's being said about her.”
Stephany's Liberal opponent Polak self-identified as pro-life as well, according to the 2005 survey.
Andrew MacLeod is The Tyee’s Legislative Bureau Chief in Victoria. Reach him here.
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DPL
2 years ago
Hey, wasn't in Ms.Polak that
Hey, wasn't in Ms.Polak that was so upset by a couple of booklets on same sex families she dragged it up to the Supreme Court of Canada and lost the town a pile of money? If a candidate has an opinion of abortion,( a legal medical procedure), it's just his or her opinion. Church and state are supposed to be seperate but I guess some folks have forgotten that position.
My Gosh, the Pope is against Birth Control, and the use of Condoms to reduce the spread of AIDS. The theory that absitinace will solve all such issues is simplistic. Religious folks should not try to control others. But it seems anyhting is fair when in election mode.
Wilfred Laurier
2 years ago
And Martin the Martian
Kathleen Stephany has about as much chance of beating Mary Polak in this very conservative riding as I have meeting Martin the Martin for dinner. But fills space.
Rod Smelser
2 years ago
What are your own chances of being elected?
Wilfred Laurier
Kathleen Stephany has about as much chance of beating ...
What are your own chances of being elected, Wilfred? Anywhere. Assume you're running unopposed, does it get any better?
Rod Smelser
2 years ago
Zubykked!
The other day, it was Mable Elmore. Now Kathleen Stephany is the second NDP candidate to be Zubykked in this election. Who's going to be the unlucky third, I wonder?
North of Hope
2 years ago
smear campaign
Looks like the BC Liberal smear campaign is up and running. I hope they have fun with the BC Rail sale.
offended
2 years ago
Comments from "Liberal caucus"
Jordan Bateman, a local Langley councillor, was called out at a Township of Langley council meeting last Monday night by Kathleen Stephany in reference to a donation in kind made to Jordan Bateman's campaign (with a value of $1200 according to the Langley Times issue of March 19, 2009) by an Agricultural Land Commissioner.
Who happened to vote on an application from the Township of Langley to build a major road through approximately 29 acres of valuable farmland.
That Jordan Bateman voted for in the same council meeting. I believe the term "conflict of interest" was used.
Now, I do not know to whom she was referring but I do know, from reading both the Langley Advance and the Langley Times, that Jordan Bateman got quite upset at this comment and mentioned his lawyer, although I do not know if it was in the same breath.
Perhaps his lawyer laughed at him and this is the best he can now do to get back at Kathleen Stephany.
Jordan Bateman should have recused himself from that decision, as should have the ALC commissioner.
And he should also remove, from his blog, remarks made about taxpayers at that same meeting who made comments he obviously did not agree with. They're way out of line.
Ah, the "Liberal caucus", whatta bunch!
RossK
2 years ago
Two things....
One, Mr. Bateman has also helped run a totally turfsome website and advocacy group that is totally supportive of BC Liberal Government pavement expansion policies called 'Get Moving BC'...
Two, it was Ms. Stephany who first blew the whistle on the hundreds of deaths of children in this province that went uninvestigated due, at least in part, to BC Liberal government-mandated cuts to the Coroner's office and the Children's Commissioner's office. In my view she did a great service to all British Columbians in doing so.
.
G West
2 years ago
If Mary Polak is elected again
It will be to the detriment of the people of the riding. That said, they have a perfect right to vote for this woman if they like:
http://www.avi.org/node/671
Personally, I think she and Heather Stilwell did enough harm to the Surrey School District already - Ms Polack should retire.
http://209.85.173.132/search?q=cache:RAewPWKTWgwJ:www.arvayfinlay.com/news/news-dec-21-2002.htm+Mary+Polack&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ca
Campbellwearsatutu
2 years ago
Polak
She is going down in this election,langley residents are mad,Polak has ignored her constituents,Translink is running roughshot over langley under orders from Kevin Falcon.
Langley residents have had to go to the NDPs for help to stop gravel extraction from their aquifer,Polak acted like a monkey...
See no evil,hear no evil,speak no evil,while evil has been thrust on Langley residents Polak was busy ith fluff items in her pretend ministry.
Expect the conservative part(Wilf Hanni)to get 12% to 18% in that riding,that opens the door for the NDP to take the riding with ease--Langley will be one of 55 ridings the NDP will win!
Wilfred Laurier
2 years ago
46%
The Liberals are polling at 46% with seven weeks to go. The are going to win, it is only a matter of how many seats they pick up.
Perhaps a lesson can be learned. Or more likely not. Quarry, what will your excuse be?
G West
2 years ago
There is NO excuse for voting Liberal
It is just plain stupidity - this is the worst government in this province's modern history - anyone who can't see that and votes for a continuation of this deserves exactly what's coming - and it won't be pretty.
G West
2 years ago
Remember
The Liberal vote is very inefficient - in the areas where Gordo clones live there are lots of them, which leads to large majorities in a few seats.
Wilfred Laurier
2 years ago
Garth......
"It is just plain stupidity"
So, Garth, you are calling 46% of the population "stupid?"
Hmmmm. I assume anyone who does not hold the same views as yours are included in that group.
G West
2 years ago
YEP
Sure am.
G West
2 years ago
Wilfrid - My Grandfather always says
The problem with democracy is that the stupid people get as many votes (one per) as the smart folks - that's why we end up with disasters like Campbell and CEO government that poison the well for the future and wreck the present for the benefit of the friends of the Premier.
Interesting decision from BC Supreme Court this morning too. Seems Governments HAVE to let critics have their say and can't use the time-honoured slapp or defamation suit to shut them up.
The decision will be up on the Supreme Courts pages soon....watch for it.
Great thing democracy, ain't it?
Rod Smelser
2 years ago
I thought it must be Brad. Is it Jordan?
When I first saw this story I just assumed that Brad Zubyk was at it again, putting into practice the game he practiced last Fall on Julian West. But now I see that some people think it could have been Jordan Bateman, one of Rich Coleman's closest associates.
Either way, it's a small world, a few players accounting for a disproportionate amount of the apparent campaign action.
Wilfred Laurier
2 years ago
So, Garth....
How exactly do you propose that we, collectively, educate that "stupid" 46% of the population to think the same way as you do? Are their opinions not as valid as yours?
Do you believe that a "stupid" person's vote be worth less than a "smart" person such as yourself? Would this alleviate the "problem with democracy?" Perhaps we can do a political compass test. If you score towards the left, you are considered "smart" and your vote counts twice. OTOH, if your political compass scores anywhere else, you can be considered "stupid" and your vote can be worth half of a "smart" persons.
Pretty good idea, I think.
Campbellwearsatutu
2 years ago
Wilf
Interesting polls,the Angus reid poll has the NDP with a 20 point lead over the liberals on Vancouver island,and both Ipsos reid and Angus reid have females voters voting for the NDP!
Angus has a 4 point lead for the NDP over Liberals with female voters.
Ipsos reid has the female vote dead even between NDP and Liberal.
So how many wives of Liberal voters are going to be voting NDP,thus nuetrolizing the Liberal vote?
Other questions, how can there be a 27 point difference from island voters to lower mainland voters?
I only see at most that the NDP will lose only 2 seats of the ridings they have(maybe none at all)!
But,I know of many Liberal seats that the NDP will gain----
3 seats in Burnaby--Delta will go independent--Hayer is done in Surrey--Fraserview will go NDP--Maple ridge will go NDP---prince George`s 2 seats are going NDP--Kamloops is going NDP--Falcon will lose--Ida chong and Murrey Coell and Stan Hagens riding will be going NDP--Cantelon in Nanaimo will be close but I suspect that riding will go NDP.
That puts the NDP wins at 46 seats!
Now add 6 new ridings,the NDP should win at least 2 of them,thats puts the seat count at 48 seats NDP--1 independent--36 Liberal seats--
That will be the minimum the NDP will win--I suspect there will be some more upsets,John Les--Barry Penner--Mary Polak--Bill Bennett--Ian Black--
And still the most telling statistis in the Angus reid poll is----
Only 21% of all voters/ NDP and Liberal supporters believe that Campbell is honest or trustworthy.
After 8 years in office and only 21% believe Campbell is honest and trustworthy!
That number can`t be changed.
So Wilfred,it is all but over,The greens with their platform have made a huge mistake,the BC Conservative party will be hammering the same attacks as the NDP,the last election there was no-one to siphon votes on the right,now there is,the greens have always been there so their effecet will be minimal!
And finally,in the 2005 election there was a difference of only 2000 votes combined in 11 ridings, add the BC conservative party in the mix and ..........
Shazzam--50+ NDP seats--1 independent and maybe 30---32 Liberal seats!
Frank
2 years ago
Wilf
"So, Garth, you are calling 46% of the population "stupid?""
We're calling them Harper supporters. Based on the fact that Harper get's 50% of the vote here federally.
Of course you like to refer to our dear prime minister as "Herr Harper".
Do you always call people you don't agree with Nazis?
G West
2 years ago
Wilf
I don't propose you'll do anything.
If you don't see the last 8 years as a disaster for decency, equity and fairness in this province then I simply rest my case - I would NEVER try to 'educate' you.
Some situations are beyond saving.
I just hope the province isn't.
Campbellwearsatutu
2 years ago
Should be interseting
The federal liberal leader convention is in Vancouver april 30 to may 2nd--
What will Campbell do? Will he embrace the the federal Liberals? Will he snub the federal Liberals?
The way I see it no matter what Campbell does he will offend voters!
If he snubs the federal liberals many BC Liberals will be offended,if he embraces IGGY many Conservative voters will turn to Wilf Hanni!
It should make for an interseting week.I bet Campbell wishes the federal Liberal convention wasn`t coming to BC,if he makes an appearence he hurts his right supporters,if he avoids the convention he will offend the middle.And with the federal Liberals abondoning the green movement he will offend confused green voters,a perfect storm brewing to strip another 5 points of support!
http://www.liberal.ca/convention_e.aspx
Rod Smelser
2 years ago
Campbell an Ex-Officio?
You make an interesting point, campbellwearsatutu. IIRC, at the last national Liberal Convention, Premier Gordon M. Campbell of B.C. was granted status as an ex-officio delegate, but chose not to attend.
The Liberals like to play this game forwards and backwards, depending on who they're swindling, ... er, ... I mean, ... talking to at the moment. One day they claim the federal and provincial Liberal Parties are closely aligned, working together for the good of Canada and B.C., etc, etc. The next day, the two are totally separate, and the crimes and misdemeanors of one cannot be laid at the feet of the other, except of course by extremely rude and very unsophisticated critics.
It all depends on the advantage of the moment which piece of spin the Liberals want to use. The amazing thing is that this game is still working for them with most people.