Met with all the candidates in Abbotsford at the Legal Grounds coffee shop for an extremely interesting meeting.
Daniel Bryce (Green) - All stakeholders need to be involved in making any decisions about the salmon. He feels free flow of rivers, repairing damaged spawning grounds, removing fish farms from the ocean are essential.
Madeleine Hardin (Liberal) - said Liberals do not have to vote the party line. This explains the diverse response I have been getting from them. Madeleine is a strong wild salmon supporter.
David Murray (NDP) said the NDP recognize that salmon farms have a negative impact on wild salmon and that they are committed to protecting the wild salmon from salmon farms.
Ed Fast (Conservative) said he wants to wait for the findings of the Cohen Inquiry, but he would not commit to adhering to Justice Cohen's recommendations. He also said he had not been following the findings already brought forward by the Cohen Inquiry. He did say he would advocate for wild salmon within his caucus and that he personally likes wild salmon.
Next we went to the Stolo Cultural Center where Don, Anissa and I were blankted! Eddie Gardner explains the significance "By covering you three means that we accept you as family and you are always welcome in our territory." It was a very moving experience that was good for the soul, thank you Eddie and the Stolo. Here is the talk I gave:
Next we drove to the all candidates meeting at the Maple Ridge Public Library. There I finally got to meet Randy Kamp, who has defeated progress by the Federal Standing Committee on Fisheries to actually protect fish. I asked him if he would protect salmon by removing salmon farms if he got re-elected. He said he was awaiting the recommendations of the Cohen Inquiry. So I asked him what his commitment was to acting on the Cohen recommendations when they come out over a year from now and he said, "I will have to wait and see what the recommendations are." I get the bad feeling.
So the Conservatives are increasingly talking with me, but they are not able to tell me that they will protect wild salmon.
Craig Speirs (NDP Pitt Meadows - Maple Ridge - Mission) said he is dedicated to protecting the water supply and that salmon are integral to this. He said if nature is given half a chance it will thrive to the benefit of all of us. He has been on city council for 12 years and fought hard for the Allouette River.
Peter Tam (Green, Pitt Meadows - Maple Ridge - Mission) said salmon farms are a definite NO, he is absolutely opposed to them. He feels DFO needs a clear mandate and the will to enforce its laws. I agree!
Mandeep Bhuller (Lib Pitt Meadows - Maple Ridge - Mission) said we are science-based, anytime we have evidence we take action. The Liberals give wild salmon a very high priority, they are integral to food security.
I cannot understand why the public vote for people who cannot speak freely. I am getting the feeling people vote for authority. Good or bad it seems like we want to be told what to do, that we don't want the responsibility of making decision? I think this is going to destroy us. Please people think about your children. It is becoming a huge concern for me that the Conservatives cannot tell me whether or not they will protect wild salmon if re-elected. I read this to be "NO."
