May 10, 2005
VICTORIA – Ida Chong, BC Liberal candidate for Oak Bay-Gordon Head, today demanded that NDP candidate Charley Beresford stop canvassing on school grounds, and take the concerns of parents at the Monterey Elementary School seriously.
"The NDP candidate in Oak Bay-Gordon Head still doesn’t get it. She refuses to apologize to parents after being caught handing out campaign bookmarks to kids at Monterey even though parents have complained," said Chong. "In fact, Beresford has said publicly that she will continue to campaign at elementary schools regardless of what parents think."
Asked today by reporters if she would continue to campaign at schools, Beresford stated unequivocally that she would: "You know, I would handle it absolutely the same."
Later in the same interview Beresford vowed again to continue attempting to politicize children on school property: "I'll be going wherever I can find them. You’ll see me out and about in the constituency in various places."
The BC Liberal platform has called for a legislative ban on inappropriate partisan political activity in schools.
"It's a shocking lack of leadership for Beresford, and it shows you what the NDP really thinks about our schools. Despite parents’ complaints, it’s still okay for an NDP candidate to try and use children for political ends. It goes to show you that it’s the same old NDP which still has 25 former union executives and activists running for the party, and Beresford herself is a former NDP staffer," added Chong.
"It’s time for Carole James to put a stop to this inappropriate political activity by NDP candidates at public schools."
