There are no words to adequately describe this Editor's disgust at the travesty pretending to be a genuine and legitimate Mayor's Candidate debate held at the Brookswood Secondary school gym. The debate was promoted as a non partisan forum to hear the views of the three Langley Township Mayor candidates on legitimate community concerns: the environment, development and community input to council decisions. The reality was far removed from this description. The event was not a debate but a "Rick Green VLN love-in" by very partisan debate organizers.
While the beginning was innocuous enough with opening statements from the three Mayor candidates, it rapidly disintegrated into a "bash Mel Kositsky and Jack Froese" session as evidenced by the questions posed by the event organizers themselves and their partisan supporters. Every question asked was designed to showcase Rick Green at the expense of Mel and Jack. How sad that legitimate community groups would allow their credibility to be so badly damaged. As a small sample watch the following video.
Discussion by many during the break and after the so-called debate expressed
shock, disappointment and disgust at how slanted and vicious the questions posed by the debate hosts were towards the non Green/VLN candidates. In this Editor's opinion, it seemed abundantly clear that personal vendettas and agendas of organizers may have been the real reason for this so-called debate.
Kudos to both Mayor candidates Jack Froese & Mel Kositsky for behaving like gentlemen in the face of such uncalled for and vicious attacks. The Rick Green VLN slate after the meeting were demonstratively thrilled with how one sided in their favour the debate had been.
Democracy was not served well tonight and even more sadly the credibility of two important community groups that had previously always played a big part in objectively educating election candidates and the voters on key issues facing this community could be so badly and viciously twisted. Hopefully, public apologies may help repair the damage done to these groups' credibility and objectivity tonight. Otherwise like "Vote Lies Now", can anyone ever reasonably and legitimately believe what they say anymore? How very sad and disappointing. This was nothing more than a staged VLN event to garner local media headlines in the last week before the election. The question is will the local media take the Rick Green VLN bait?
I'm not sure you can lump together all of the questions as being partisan towards a particular candidate. While I agree the question raised in the video was insensitive and mean-spirited, the two questions regarding the protection of aquifers and well water quality and sustainability raised by the Salmon River group seemed appropriate.
ReplyDeleteI think the viciousness of the later questions has been fermenting as a result of issues developed over the last three years by a very dysfunctional council.
The best comment of the night was given by a women as she walked by me while we were leaving, and muttered, " I wish there was a fourth candidate."
Another question posed by the organizers of the debate was to Jack Froese and was ridiculously about his choice of campaign managers. What a terrible question to ask by the debate people that held this event. What difference does it make who makes the coffee at his campaign or puts the signs up or answers the phones! Why did they not instead ask all the candidates including Mayor Green where they personally draw the line in the sand in misleading or lying to their council and the public? Because I would love to know that answer. Obviously Mayor Green has his own defined line in the sand! Mine is none at all from any politicians!
ReplyDeleteGreen and his team's... power comes from deception. They know what to say and how to seem to act so that good folk think they are normal and not actually in fact, the plight of the earth. Odd how so many people are fooled by them and don't seem to mind their tax dollars being spent on the most ridiculous things. I guess the truth is hard to believe when the lies are exactly what you want to hear. Welcome to Canada.
ReplyDelete>>>EDITED BY LFP EDITOR<<<
Watching the debate, my first thought was that the dedicated SRES and the good Fort Langley folks were unwittingly being used by Green's VLN rabid supporters. But when Green constantly said last night that he regulary meets with SRES I begin to really wonder.
ReplyDeleteThe Debate at Brookswood was true Green VLN slate trash and trap politics at it's worst. If the other community groups say they were not aware of this, they sure should have been. Why did they not at least screen the questions like the Chamber does?
ReplyDeleteHopefully Kim and the other councillors now see these groups as the petty self motivated Gang Green supporters they really are and stops giving them support at the council table!!!!!!
ReplyDeletemore deception to come if these clowns are elected, there will be no truth, get ready to pay much more for much longer when they are gone, we will be moving from langley - business and family if they are elected.
ReplyDeleteThe Fort Langley Community Association is a wonderful group of folk who work hard for the village. I have to believe that they didn't know what was going to happen fully, that possibly this was a debate really run by the group from Willoughby. The SRES is also a great society, somewhere something may have gone off the rails...who was the host????
ReplyDeleteAnon224 is way off on the selfish antics of the FLCA. They knew exactly what was going on. They are closely related to SRES through Doug McFee. Open your eyes!
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