Trying to be heard (2011 federal election St. Catharines debate)

Trying to be heard

• The Standard (St. Catharines)
• 20 Apr 2011
• GRANT LAFLECHE Standard Staff glafleche@stcatharinesstandard.ca

BOB TYMCZYSZYN Standard staff

St. Catharines candidates squared off in a debate Tuesday at St. Catharines Collegiate but Christian Heritage Party candidate David Bylsma spoke to a small group outside the auditorium.

Moments before the St. Catharines-Thorold Chamber of Commerce candidates debate was set to begin, David Bylsma stood at the front of the auditorium and shouted for the attention of crowd.

“Can I have your attention please,” Bylsma said. “My name is David Bylsma, and I am a candidate in the federal election in the riding of St. Catharines.”

Bylsma, a veteran of six election campaigns for the Christian Heritage party, was not permitted to take part in the debate. This, he said, was a travesty and an insult to the democratic process. Still, he wanted voters to know who he was and that they could come and speak to him about his platform.

Moments after Bylsma thanked the crowd for their time, another candidate barred from the debate — Communist Party candidate Saleh Waziruddin — also stood up.

Waziruddin said his exclusion from the debate was unfair and robbed voters of a chance to hear all perspectives on the issues.

“By way of applause who wants to be able to hear all viewpoints on the issues of this election?” he said, generating a loud applause from the crowd.

Chamber of Commerce representative Kithio Mwanzia explained that two years ago, the organization decided to change the rules around the debate. Only those candidates whose parties had won at least 2% of the vote in the previous election would be allowed to participate. Neither the Communist or Christian Heritage party reached that threshold in the 2008 election.

Bylsma and Waziruddin were allowed to set up tables outside the auditorium to speak to voters and hand out campaign materials.