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Roller skaters rejoiced inside the Invermere Curling Club on Saturday, July 25th, which was retro-outfitted for the valley’s first ever Roller Disco, complete with prizes for Best Dressed, DJ lighting and music, and a disco ball. PHOTO BY BREANNE MASSEY
campaign takes 4 Liberals green approach
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Wilks declines debate committee invite KEVIN NIMMOCK kevin@invermerevalleyecho.com July 17th marked the deadline for Kootenay-Columbia NDP candidate Wayne Stetski’s challenge to his opposing candidates. Stetski wanted each candidate to nominate a member of their team to join a debate committee, which would co-ordinate debates in each of the eight major communities across the riding. Liberal candidate Don Johnston and Green candidate Bill Green quickly agreed to support the project, making Conservative David Wilks the lone stand-out. “I am not going to move forward with an NDP suggestion,” Wilks said. “If that is what the NDP want to do, they should do that. That is their strategy, not mine.” The end result of the committee is to have each candidate attend debates in
Revelstoke, Golden, Invermere, Kim- about prospective debates and co-orberley, Cranbrook, Fernie, Creston dinate schedules. and Nelson. “I do not get a sense that there is a In 2011, Wilks attended only three of reluctance to continue because the the seven debates, missing the event rest of us at the table all believe that in Invermere. as many people as possible in this rid“We will use the same strategy as we ing should get the chance to see all of did in 2011, which the candidates, prefwas a winning stratIf that is what the erably in one place egy,” Wilks said, notat one time,” JohnNDP want to do, ing that he earned ston said. 57.9 per cent of the they should do that. Johnston thinks vote. That is their strategy, not Wilks does not see Ultimately, Wilks mine. eye-to-eye with the said he is busy with DAVID WILKS rest of the candiMP KOOTENAY-COLUMBIA dates on this issue work as an MP, but he will focus on the because he is overly election after the writ is dropped, cynical about the potential of debates which will happen between late Au- to win over undecided voters. gust and early September. “Despite some of the things that Mr. Wilks’ lack of participation has not Wilks says about the majority of peohalted the debate committee. Rep- ple (at debates) already having made resentatives of each candidate met up their mind, I know as a voter I go to over the weekend to share knowledge those debates every time, and I have
never gone into them with an agenda,” Johnston said. “I have gone to them to get a sense of who was there and what they are bringing to the table.” Stetski likened the debates to interviews. He added that Wilks should not assume that, just because he won once, he will perpetually continue to win. “Ducking debates is simply not good enough,” Stetski said. “The incumbent is asking for his job back, and he has a responsibility to stand beside other candidates and answer questions posed to him by voters.” Further, Johnston questioned whether Wilks’ approach to debates is the product of his party’s stance. “I frankly wonder if the Conservatives simply do not want their candidates out there in unscripted situations, where a real voter might ask a real question,” Johnston said.
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