Invermere councillor candidates express views during forum

By Steve Hubrecht steve@columbiavalleypioneer.com

The all-candidates forum on February 22 for those running in a by-election to fill the vacant seat on Invermere council produced no dramatic twist or turns. For the most part, candidates seemed to hold similar general viewpoints on the various topics discussed, although they did offer differing (perspectives) about just how these issues should be addressed.

The by-election, set for March 4, has attracted five candidates — Grey Bradatsch, David Goldsmith, Grant Kelly, Stephanie Stevens, and Juanita Violini. The five have been campaigning around town for several weeks now, submitting answers to questions of the week from the Pioneer (see this week’s on page 7), and gathering at the Lake Windermere District Lions Club on Wednesday, Feb. 22 for the forum.

During the forum, which was moderated by former Radium Hot Springs mayor, Dee Conklin, the candidates were given a chance to make introductory and closing remarks. In between, they were posed questions, some of which they were given in advance and some of which were kept a surprise by organizers. The questions ranged from current hot-button issues, such as a planned bylaw banning single-use plastics, to much broader questions, such how to balance long term planning with short term needs.

All candidates agreed that single use plastic is a big problem both globally and locally, for instance, but each had a different take on how best to tackle it. Stevens was very much in favour of the ban bylaw. Goldsmith said he was in favour of a bylaw, but added he feels the district should “only create laws that are enforceable”. He said he thinks the bylaw should deal with “easy” things first, such as single use plastic checkout bags and plastic cutlery, and then later add in items that are harder to enforce. Violini said “I’m not sure banning single use plastics is the most effective way” to deal with the problem, and indicated that she feels council could be more effective on the issue by pressuring federal and provincial governments to act. She added that she would, however, pursue a ban on plastic water bottles, for which she sees no need at all. Kelly said he thought a single use plastic ban bylaw could be viable even without enforcement, particularly if coupled with local education efforts, but added that, in his opin-