Todd Doherty wins the award for first out of the gate with his campaign signs.
Liberal leader Justin Trudeau was still in the shadow of Rideau Hall when the Conservative MP’s supporters were out dotting the landscape with re-election signs.
Doherty was also the first, and likely the only, local candidate to be part of a national news issue shortly after the election was called. He topped all politicians when it comes to spending on travel for his spouse, something north of $140,000. It’s not a new issue. Doherty has been at the top end of the list before, as has his predecessor.
Former Liberal Attorney General and Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould was No. 3 on the list, so Doherty got a free pass on the issue from the national media as it is now apparently enshrined in newsrooms: “If it’s Jody, it leads.”
FACE THE NATION
The NDP win the award for first party to have a campaign office opening. Candidate Heather Sapergia officially opened her office last week. One of the notable aspects of the office (other than it’s tucked away in a mini-mall on 15th Avenue and you need a geo-caching code to find it) is the fact that the front window is adorned with a honkin’ big picture of … Jack Layton. Inside, there’s an equally big photo of Tommy Douglas. Current leader Jagmeet Singh … well, his book was on the coffee table.
Not to be outdone, Liberal candidate in Cariboo-Prince George Tracy Calogheros opened her office on Saturday. She is featured prominently in all the photos, which one might expect. However, no photos of Liberal leader Justin Trudeau.
Hmmm.
Conservative candidates Todd Doherty (Cariboo-Prince George) and Bob Zimmer (Prince George-Peace River-Northern Rockies) open a joint campaign office Tuesday and Green Party candidate Mackenzie Kerr opens her office on Friday. We’ll see who adorns the walls.
WE’RE NOT RACIST
People’s Party of Canada in Prince George-Peace River-Northern Rockies is a contributor to the website Council of European Canadians which, according to its ‘beliefs and goals’ rejects racism. However, it believes “Canada is a nation created by individuals with an Anglo/French/European heritage, not by individuals from diverse races and cultures,” and that “the racial diversification of Canada has entailed the illiberal imposition of political correctness against Canadians who wish to preserve Canada’s European identity.”
Vaillant’s video submission was entitled: “PPC Wants To Stop Justin Trudeau’s Plan To Destroy Canada’s Euro-Canadian Identity.” Other gripping tales on the site include a missive that the TD Bank is promoting the “replacement of white Canadians” because it dares to use non-white people in its advertising.
Good thing they proclaimed they’re not racist.
NO ABORTION DEBATE HERE
Green Party leader Elizabeth May stirred up a hornet’s nest early in the campaign by saying she wouldn’t stop a Green MP from trying to bring forward a bill on abortion. Cariboo-Prince George Green candidate Mackenzie Kerr said it’s not an issue.
“People have the right to choose, this is a fact in Canada and it will stay that way,” she posted on her Facebook page. “Green party candidates must support the rights of women, trans and non-binary people to access reproductive health services, including abortion. The only people that should be allowed an opinion is the individual and their doctor. The abortion debate will not be reopened and as Canadians, we understand that. We need to be pushing for expanding programs in reproductive rights and education to avoid unwanted pregnancies.”
BALLOTS GETTING FULL, OR NOT
The Prince George-Peace River-Northern Rockies riding now has a Green Party candidate. Catharine Kendall of Eaglet Lake was named as the candidate on the weekend.
The Liberal and the NDP are still without a candidate in Prince George-Peace River-Northern Rockies.
ALL CANDIDATE FORUMS
So far there are three all candidate forums slated in Cariboo-Prince George and there will likely be more (Tracy Calogheros said she went to 17 last time). There will be an all candidates forum October 3 at the Trinity United Church in Prince George, October 9 at UNBC, and October 10, in the afternoon, at the Vanderhoof Youth Centre.