Farmers’ Market forum questions better than the answers

Saturday’s election forum at the Kamloops Farmers’ Market was more interesting for its questions than for the answers.

Most but not all of the candidates in the Nov. 19 civic election were there. Kudos to all the mayoral candidates — Gordon Chow, Dieter Dudy, Peter Milobar and Brian Alexander — for showing up on a chilly Saturday morning. Council candidates Pat Wallace and Peter Sharp didn’t attend.

A candidate can’t say much in the 30 seconds the Council of Canadians allowed for answers, so it wasn’t all that enlightening. However, many of the written questions were entertaining if nothing else.

Incumbent Marg Spina was asked why the City took away the port-a-potty from the Occupy Kamloops camp, and commented that she’d rather see the protesters using a portable toilet “than in the street,” but declined to say whether the City bylaws cops were right or wrong to remove it.

Ray Nyuli fielded a question on the parkade, John DeCicco was handed one on councillors’ pay, Nancy Bepple took one on Domtar, and Arjun Singh was asked whether he supported recall legislation for mayor and council.

Singh missed a bet on that one — instead of endorsing it, he evaded it by saying he’d be interested in discussing the idea.

There were questions about the arts, about gays, composting and food sustainability.

Donovan Cavers gave one of the few direct answers when he was asked whether he favoured Ajax mine. The answer was no.

One questioner, tongue no doubt planted in cheek, suggested there is way too much consultation at City Hall and asked how things could be speeded up.

Another resident wanted to know why the business community had so much control over City Hall.

Gordon Chow was asked about smart meters and talked about water meters instead.

Ken Christian was among the candidates who attended, and showed his “Elect Ken Christian Councillor” signs, the point being that in my last blog I panned his old “Elect Ken Christian” signs, which don’t say what he’s running for. No doubt he’ll be getting the new ones up next week.