About 100 people who attended an all candidates debate in Innisfail last night were left scratching their heads after RCMP officers broke up the confab..“I don’t think anyone was anticipating that the RCMP would come in and that would be game over,” said Paul Mitchell, a one-time People’s Party of Canada hopeful who attended the September 8 meeting..“So even though I’m not running this time, I was quite curious to see what what would happen (at the debate),” he said..Mitchell, who now works with Wildrose Independence Party of Alberta, said he was stunned when RCMP entered the local Legion where the debate was being held and prompted the exodus from the building..“Probably about half of the people inside – just rough figures – did wear masks and the other half didn’t, (but) that didn’t seem to be a problem.”.The 7 p.m. meeting got off the ground with all candidates making an opening statement in the first 20 minutes..“And then we were moving on to sort of a question and answer section where people in the audience were allowed to submit questions sort of electronically, and then they would be voted on and the ones at the top of the of the batting order would be answered by the candidates,” Mitchell recalled..“At that point, it seemed like a pretty normal.”.It was then when three uniformed RCMP officers showed up and had a chat with the organizers of the debate who soon informed all in the meeting that everybody had to comply immediately with the forced-masking requirements, or they were going to end the event..“And, so obviously, this didn’t go over very well with the crowd.” Mitchell said..One member of the audience asked organizers if they acknowledged mask exemptions, but the question was met by silence..“You know, they weren’t willing to accept medical exemptions. Several people were now getting a little bit annoyed with with what was happening and they just kicked everybody out,” Mitchell said..Despite the mood, everyone acted in an orderly, polite fashion, said Kelly Lorencz , the PPC candidate for Red Deer-Mountain View who also attended the event..“You know what? Everybody was respectful. They went outside, and they just congregated outside. There was no confrontations,” he said..“I know. Mr. (Conservative MP for Red Deer-Mountain View Earl) Dreeshen avoided any confrontation, he went out a side door.”.Mitchell said he observed the same..However, both men heard — and they were quick to say it was a rumour at the event — that it was one of the event organizers who called the cops..“It wasn’t an RCMP spokesman, laying down the law,” Lorencz said..“They [RCMP] communicated with the organizers and then it was the organizers that tried to tell everyone that either there would be immediate compliance or else it was over.”.Attendees chose the latter and broke off into groups outside the building to talk amongst themselves..“Apparently, you cannot hold one of these events without the RCMP showing up and shutting it down, unless there’s 100% compliance with the mask rules,” Lorencz said..“And of course, [Alberta Premier] Kenney had promised that we were open forever, but I guess it’s not only are we not open forever, but now this is going to have a visible effect on on the federal election campaign,” he said..The RCMP in Alberta have been responsible for ending several meetings — such as church gatherings — since forced-mask mandates were first installed in the oil-rich province..It was unknown at press time if Innisfail will soon host another all candidates debate..Mike D’Amour is the British Columbia Bureau Chief for the Western Standard..,.mdamour@westernstandardonline.com
About 100 people who attended an all candidates debate in Innisfail last night were left scratching their heads after RCMP officers broke up the confab..“I don’t think anyone was anticipating that the RCMP would come in and that would be game over,” said Paul Mitchell, a one-time People’s Party of Canada hopeful who attended the September 8 meeting..“So even though I’m not running this time, I was quite curious to see what what would happen (at the debate),” he said..Mitchell, who now works with Wildrose Independence Party of Alberta, said he was stunned when RCMP entered the local Legion where the debate was being held and prompted the exodus from the building..“Probably about half of the people inside – just rough figures – did wear masks and the other half didn’t, (but) that didn’t seem to be a problem.”.The 7 p.m. meeting got off the ground with all candidates making an opening statement in the first 20 minutes..“And then we were moving on to sort of a question and answer section where people in the audience were allowed to submit questions sort of electronically, and then they would be voted on and the ones at the top of the of the batting order would be answered by the candidates,” Mitchell recalled..“At that point, it seemed like a pretty normal.”.It was then when three uniformed RCMP officers showed up and had a chat with the organizers of the debate who soon informed all in the meeting that everybody had to comply immediately with the forced-masking requirements, or they were going to end the event..“And, so obviously, this didn’t go over very well with the crowd.” Mitchell said..One member of the audience asked organizers if they acknowledged mask exemptions, but the question was met by silence..“You know, they weren’t willing to accept medical exemptions. Several people were now getting a little bit annoyed with with what was happening and they just kicked everybody out,” Mitchell said..Despite the mood, everyone acted in an orderly, polite fashion, said Kelly Lorencz , the PPC candidate for Red Deer-Mountain View who also attended the event..“You know what? Everybody was respectful. They went outside, and they just congregated outside. There was no confrontations,” he said..“I know. Mr. (Conservative MP for Red Deer-Mountain View Earl) Dreeshen avoided any confrontation, he went out a side door.”.Mitchell said he observed the same..However, both men heard — and they were quick to say it was a rumour at the event — that it was one of the event organizers who called the cops..“It wasn’t an RCMP spokesman, laying down the law,” Lorencz said..“They [RCMP] communicated with the organizers and then it was the organizers that tried to tell everyone that either there would be immediate compliance or else it was over.”.Attendees chose the latter and broke off into groups outside the building to talk amongst themselves..“Apparently, you cannot hold one of these events without the RCMP showing up and shutting it down, unless there’s 100% compliance with the mask rules,” Lorencz said..“And of course, [Alberta Premier] Kenney had promised that we were open forever, but I guess it’s not only are we not open forever, but now this is going to have a visible effect on on the federal election campaign,” he said..The RCMP in Alberta have been responsible for ending several meetings — such as church gatherings — since forced-mask mandates were first installed in the oil-rich province..It was unknown at press time if Innisfail will soon host another all candidates debate..Mike D’Amour is the British Columbia Bureau Chief for the Western Standard..,.mdamour@westernstandardonline.com
