Vancouver-Centre incumbent Hedy Fry compared the Conservative party to a "dictatorship" after no Tory candidate showed up to a debate on global poverty last night.
"Mr. Harper continues to muzzle his people," she said after the forum. "They're only allowed to speak if he gives them the words to say and that is a form of dictatorship."
In the debate, Fry squared off against Green Party candidate for Vancouver North, Jim Stephenson, and the New Democratic Party's South Surrey-White Rock-Cloverdale candidate, Peter Prontzos, on issues such as foreign aid and farm subsidies. No Conservative candidate participated in the Engineers Without Borders-sponsored event.
Fry said she wasn't surprised.
"The Conservatives have been absent for practically every debate," she said.
But Fry refrained from taking any pot shots at Vancouver-Centre NDP candidate Michael Byers, who was supposed to show up to the forum but cancelled earlier today.
"I really don't like to hypothesize why other people do things," she said. "It's not fair to them."
James Haga, one the event's organizers, said he contacted 13 Conservative candidates to appear at the debate. He said he even contacted the Tory's national office to no avail.
"We were genuinely disappointed that they weren't able to show up," he said. "We've been planning this for about three and a half weeks now."
The NDP's Vancouver-centre spokesperson Am Johal said Byers wasn't able to make the forum because he was asked to appear on a televised CBC debate at the last minute.
Byers teaches political science at UBC and has an extensive academic background in global poverty issues. Asked whether the NDP candidate missed an opportunity to put his expertise to work, Johal said it wasn't a concern.
"This is not something we're particularly worried about," he said.
Geoff Dembicki is a staff reporter for The Hook.
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Budd Campbell
3 years ago
Hedy's Last Stand
I am kind of curious as to why statements by an outgoing MP are considered to be particularly newsworthy. I agree that Harper is a total authoritarian, so I am not quarelling with what Fry is saying. "Dictatorship" is perhaps a bit too strong, but so what? The real point is, who cares?
I think the decent thing for the press to do is to wait till election night, and then make sure they've got every camera and tape recorder ready, and a good deal of clear space between the reporters and Fry for a good, clear view, and then just sit back and tape it all as Hey scolds the press and gives her "last press conference". That would be worth seeing and hearing.
bcandbeyond
3 years ago
Dictatorship is right
For once, I agree with Hedy Fry.....Stephen Harper is pure dictator.
Vote strategically in Vancouver Centre to keep the Conservatives out.
www.bcandbeyond.wordpress.com