There were strong words on the topic of residential schools at an all-candidates forum in Quesnel last (Wednesday) night
Coralee Oakes, the Independent candidate in the Prince George-North Cariboo riding, called out Conservative candidate Sheldon Clare.
“Words do matter. It is deeply important that we respect elders and I am disappointed by one of the candidates running by some of the posts that he’s made on social media that residential schools provided opportunity that I find disgraceful.”
Clare responded following the debate.
“There is no doubt that the residential school system is harmful to aboriginal people. There’s no doubt about that at all. I’ve never said that it wasn’t. I’m an academic and one of the things I have always told my students is that I’m going to present challenges to you and I expect you to argue. I want you to be thinking critically. I want you to listen to what I say and if I say something you don’t like, I want you to respond to it.”
Clare went on to say that in terms of residential schools and truth and reconciliation, in order for reconciliation to occur, there has to be a bringing together of peoples, not a dividing.
Green Party candidate Randy Thompson said that the biggest obstacle with Truth and Reconciliation, as far as residential schools go, is educating the public.
“And it really was, as I commented, it’s taking the Indian out of the Indian. They pulled children out of their homes under the blanket of we’ll educate them. They were trying to remove their culture.”
Thompson added that it was a way to control the First Nations population of Canada by taking away their culture.
The opioid crisis was also front and center last (Tuesday) night.
Candidates were asked specifically what steps they would take to combat the epidemic.
Conservative Sheldon Clare talked about ending a couple of programs that are currently running.
“Decriminalization has to be ended. The safe supply system has to be taken away as it is and, to be what it intended. You deal with individuals, you triage individuals rather than doing broad brush strokes that are affecting huge swaths of society and causing tremendous damage.”
Clare added that long term forensic psychiatric care facilities are needed.
“When they closed Riverview they let a whole bunch of people out into the streets and that has not been good for British Columbia. It has not been good for those folks who were let out, and it has not been good for communities. We’ve had a growing problem ever since.”
Green Party candidate Randy Thompson disagreed.
“When you have safe injection sites, the myth is it brings in drugs and people and crime. It’s the opposite. There’s less crime and problems around a safe injection site. They do need to be properly placed so that they’re not near schools and things like that.”
Thompson added that the opioid crisis if often made worse by the vilifying of the people themselves, saying that they need to be treated with respect.
Independent candidate Coralee Oakes talked about the lack of treatment options.
“We need to make sure that we have services in our community and a continuum of care. I have met with so many parents and people who’ve tried to get services for loved ones, and the services just aren’t there.”
Oakes also talked about the inequities between rural and urban areas when it comes to services.
There were several other topics that were discussed last night, including the housing crisis, affordability challenges that Quesnel and area residents were facing, the North-South Interconnector, climate change, safety and support for the 2SIALGBTQ+ community, support for small business, and the fibre issues that the forest industry is facing.
Denise Bardua, the NDP candidate, was unable to attend last night’s event.
It was hosted by the Quesnel and District Chamber of Commerce.
The provincial election will take place on October 19th.
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