Voters in the Bulkley Valley-Stikine riding did not get to hear candidates debate publicly before the October 24th snap election, after an independent effort to organize a forum was disrupted by scheduling difficulties with incumbent Conservative MLA Sharon Hartwell.
Sharon Hartwell in front of her office on Main Street (while sitting as MLA).
Hazelton secondary teacher Lauren Blabey and volunteers initially planned a debate in Hazelton for October 21, a week after the municipal election. The event was postponed following the death of Simogyet Nikateen, Gitxsan Hereditary Chief (Frances Sampson). Organizers rescheduled it for October 22 at the Smithers Legion Hall.
Blabey told CICK News that representatives for all three candidates had indicated interest. She said the NDP candidate, Frankie Abel, was prepared to participate if Conservative incumbent Sharon Hartwell attended. Hartwell’s campaign team had said it would try to have her there, Blabey said, but provincial Conservative press secretary, Francesca Guetchev told organizers via email that they would not have Sharon to participate (due to a scheduling conflict). Prior to the announcement of the scheduling conflict, however, Guetchev corresponded with the organizers that the only way they would allow the BC Conservative candidate to participate in a debate is if the party could vet the questions beforehand. The debate organizers agreed to this term, but on October 19, Guetchev emailed the organizers to say that they wanted Sharon Hartwell’s name removed from the debate poster, ultimately killing the debate. It was subsequently cancelled after that.
Blabey, who said she is not affiliated with a political party, said she organized the forum because she believed voters should have an opportunity to hear directly from candidates. “Without a debate”, she said, “it could be harder for residents to make an informed choice.”
The debate plans unfolded alongside controversy over a political gathering at Boston Pizza in Smithers on October 20. Hartwell hosted Conservative MP for North Island-Powell River riding Aaron Gunn, who has faced criticism for past social media comments about the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and residential schools. Protesters gathered outside the restaurant, while a group of Indigenous participants entered, drummed and sang two songs before leaving.
Police were called but did not remove anyone by force.
Shaylynn Sampson, who attended with Lax’yip Firekeepers (a collective of Gitxsan youth), said the group shared information about the gathering to help ensure people could attend safely. She said the demonstration was not organized by Firekeepers. Sampson criticized Gunn’s past remarks and Hartwell’s decision to host him.
“ Sharon Hartwell, the person that’s running for re-election right now, is giving this person [Aaron Gunn] a platform and showing us who she’s associated with, and I don’t think that’s right.”
The Lax’yip Firekeepers drumming and singing the Women’s Warrior Song and the Constitution Song in Boston Pizza in front of BC Conservatives Aaron Gunn and Sharon Hartwell at a pub night in Boston Pizza. Photo courtesy of Lax’yip Firekeepers Facebookpage.
The Office of the Wet’suwet’en said it had not been consulted about either event. Executive Director Sherry McKinnon wrote to CICK News in an email “It is concerning that Wet’suwet’en leadership were not considered during the planning of these events [Conservative pub night meet and greet], yet our office is now being contacted with an expectation that the hereditary chiefs intervene because Indigenous people exercised their right to protest.” McKinnon also noted that participants included people from several Indigenous nations (including Tahltan, Gitxsan, and Wet’suwet’en) and said the demonstration was not directed by the office or Hereditary Chiefs.
Christian Heritage Party candidate Ed Ewald told CICK News he was trying to arrange another debate and had contacted the Office of the Wet’suwet’en. He said the drumming had been “traumatizing” to some people and he wanted to prevent protest at his attempt to re-establish a debate that night. NDP candidate Frankie Abel said she had been looking forward to a debate but did not think it would be fair to participate without all three candidates in attendance.
Hartwell denied that the Boston Pizza gathering was connected to her absence from the debate. She said her campaign had made prior commitments to attend an event in Kitimat focused on economic opportunities and that she did not want to contribute to further division in the riding.
The restaurant’s manager, Sergio Effio, told CICK News he understood the reservation to be for a regular group and said staff were unaware of its political nature. Hartwell’s campaign manager, Nathan Penner, said the booking was explicitly for a political pub night and that the restaurant had seen the event graphic. Penner said Boston Pizza had requested a smaller logo to avoid implying sponsorship, stating that they “will not refuse service to any groups, as long as the attendees are there to buy food and drink.”
(Added after publish: Nathan Penner wanted it to be clear that this was a miscommunication error, and that Boston Pizza’s staff were not intentionally claiming to not know it was a political event).
Effio said the business would ask more questions about future bookings after the incident.
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