UPDATE: 11:50 a.m.
The City of Ā鶹¾«Ń” released a statement Thursday morning regarding Councillor Ron Cannanās recent column published to an online media, claiming the opinions of Cannan are his personal views and do not represent the views of Ā鶹¾«Ń” City Council.
āMembers of council and the public have shared their concerns with me regarding Councillor Cannanās viewpoints and we are disappointed that he has used his elected position as a City Councillor in this way. Many of the issues he has expressed opinions about are outside the jurisdiction of local government,ā said Mayor Tom Dyas.
He added that he will continue to promote inclusivity and safety for all citizens.
Council recently approved a Code of Conduct governing the behaviour and expectations of council, to which Dyas said this matter will be given ādue consideration. ā
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Original:
A Ā鶹¾«Ń” City Councillorās recent opinion piece has caused a stir among elected officials and political experts across the province after he encouraged constituents to read the Bible.
Ron Cannan has had a 20-year career in politics in Ā鶹¾«Ń” as both a councillor and Member of Parliament.
The opinion piece titled āMy predictions for Ā鶹¾«Ń”, BC and the world in 2024ā, was published to the Now Media Groupās website on Jan. 2.
In the piece, Cannan shares his opinions on the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, Trudeau, the federal, provincial and municipal budgets, sexual orientation and gender identity resources in schools and the ātransgender movement,ā Cannan ended his piece by encouraging people to read the Christian Bible.
The article has been circulated online prompting experts, community members and members of the public to speak out on platforms such as X (formerly Twitter).
Conjuring up the Bible, punching down on trans kids and their parents, virtue signaling about the Gaza conflict, and a personal attack on Justin Trudeau. All in a day for councilor . How does this fit with the Council Code of Conduct?
ā Wilbur Turner šØš¦š³ļøāšš³ļøāā§ļø (@queergranddad)
Secularism in the Okanagan has recently been a hot button topic for politicians after an organization called the BC Humanist Association published a report naming the West Ā鶹¾«Ń” City Council as one of seven municipalities across the province that opened its 2022 inaugural council meeting with prayer.
READ MORE: Prayer at West Ā鶹¾«Ń” council violates Supreme Court ruling
In an interview with Capital News regarding Cannanās opinion piece, Teale Phelps Bondaroff PhD, a research coordinator for the B.C. Humanists Association and City Councillor in Saanich explained that while it is considered unconstitutional and a violation of the governmentās duty to practice religious neutrality to pray during a council meeting, individual representatives are free to express themselves and share their religious beliefs.
āItās not illegal, itās just not inclusive,ā said Phelps Bondaroff.
Phelps Bondaroff said that while Cannan is entitled to share his opinion, the Ā鶹¾«Ń” politician seems to be using religion, āwedge issues,ā and ādivisive politicsā to elicit an emotional response from his constituents.
āThis reflects on Cannan and his priorities, which seem to be promoting his religion over inclusivity.ā
Okanagan College professor of social issues and former Ā鶹¾«Ń” politician Norah Bowman, PhD, also spoke out and shared her disappointment after reading what she called, āmean and untruthful statements,ā in Cannanās piece.
Bowman specifically referenced Cannanās opinions on the future of the war in Ukraine as being misleading.
In the article, Cannan stated that the public is no longer, ābuying what the [Ukrainian] regime is selling.ā
Bowman said that there is no factual basis to the claim that the public does not support Ukraine in its war against Russia or that the āregimeā in Ukraine is bad.
Capital News reached out to Cannan for an interview. Instead he sent a written reply where he explained that he has had positive feedback from his column and he feels it was well received.
He also clarified his comments on the war in Ukraine, stating his mother is Ukrainian and he doesnāt support Putin.
āJust think people donāt agree that all the Ukrainian government is free of corruption. Hoping that a peace agreement can be reached for the sake of both countries and the world.ā
Bowman went on to say that Cannanās prediction that school boards will continue to face pushback regardingā what he calledā the āSOGI (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) policy and transgender movementā is not factual and perpetuates misinformation.
Speaking as a former school board trustee Bowman stated that the SOGI resources in schools are not a āpolicy,ā and that there is no ātransgender movement.ā
āHis column is not grounded in reality,ā said Bowman. āIt is not appropriate, professional or respectful of a diverse society.ā
She said that based on the prediction piece Cannan is not fulfilling his responsibilities as a āsecular leader in a pluralistic society.ā
Mayor Tom Dyas is currently not in the city, however, the mayoral office is working to prepare a media statement regarding Cannanās piece.
In a media statement, the City of Ā鶹¾«Ń” said that āelected officials are free to express their thoughts and opinionsā¦ The City of Ā鶹¾«Ń” is a secular institution that supports a multi-cultural, inclusive approach to governance.ā
The city also stated that all Ā鶹¾«Ń” City Councillors must abide by a but are free to share their thoughts, opinions and beliefs.
Capital News reached out to several local politicians for their thoughts on Cannanās column, but have not received a response.
āHe is not being cancelled. He is being called out,ā reiterated Bowman.
