Conservative MP Dona Cadman abruptly backs out of Surrey all-candidates forum

by Stephen Thomson on April 21st, 2011 at 4:39 PM

Conservative incumbent Dona Cadman was noticeably absent from a recent all-candidates forum in her Surrey North riding.

Cadman was the first candidate to accept an invitation to the April 20 event, organized by the Downtown Surrey Business Improvement Association.

But the Surrey North MP abruptly backed out the day before the forum, which was attended by the six other candidates running to defeat her on May 2.

Cadman’s failure to show up for the forum drew criticism from her political opponents, who accused her of not being accessible to the public in this election.

“If there’s a legitimate reason for her not to attend, that I understand, but this is a constant pattern,” NDP candidate Jasbir Sandhu told the Straight.

“I haven’t seen her during the campaign. She hasn’t been quoted in the papers at all.”

Cadman could not be reached for comment through her campaign office.

“We made sure that everybody was invited to the all-candidates meeting well in advance of the meeting,” said Elizabeth Model, executive director of the Downtown Surrey Business Improvement Association.

Forum organizers received little explanation from Cadman’s campaign for the candidate’s sudden withdrawal.

Model said the business improvement association was told Cadman “would probably not be able to attend because she had a [scheduling] conflict”.

Liberal candidate Shinder Purewal noted Cadman was the only Surrey North candidate to miss the April 20 forum.

“It means simply that she cannot defend the positions of the Conservative government,” Purewal told the Straight.

“She has shown that she doesn’t even care what people think and she’s not ready to face the people of Surrey North.”

Green candidate Bernadette Keenan said it’s unfair to voters when Cadman isn’t accessible.

“I guess it’s her loss. It’s a loss to the voters. It would be nice to see her,” Keenan told the Straight.

Comments

13 Comments

JeanOudy

Apr 21, 2011 at 9:41pm

Yesterday and again today I've been reading on Twitter and Facebook as well as some online forums that Conservative candidates have been dropping out of All Candidate debates and forums like flies. All across Canada they are being no-shows at the last minute. I think they are so afraid one of them will actually speak their minds, (like the guy in Saskatchewan talking about how he was going to make the abortion issue come back to the House for so they could make it against the law).

I have been hearing from several friends across Canada that the incumbent Conservatives are having a hard time speaking to the issues as well. They don't seem to know what their party platforms are and speak in general terms only. Sad but true.

Stan Mortensen

Apr 22, 2011 at 12:04am

No big surprise this has been a trend with the Conservatives over the last 2 elections. Heck, our Conservative MP fence post, backed out of one debate in 2006 as she felt the meeting was stacked against her by Liberals and New Democrats, duh, they are all stacked with Party hacks by all parties normally. Just goes to the point of why we shouldn't vote Conservative.

Don Simpson

Apr 22, 2011 at 1:35pm

Sometimes it is simly better to spend your time knocking on 200 doors than to attend a candidates forum with no undecided voters. In a federal election candidates forums in ridings are almost useless as none of the candidates can actually address any of the national issues on there own. Depending on the constituency this could be a smart or dumb move. In riding where it is a lock for one party a candidates forum is an unneccesary risk. When you know the candidates forum will simply be a collection of different party hacks, you are better to use the time to knovk on doors to get your vote out or to pursuade voters to your side.
If not for the media coverage local forums would be a complete waste of time.

monty/that's me

Apr 23, 2011 at 6:22am

Were not all Conservative candidates muzzled in the last election? Here in Ladner we have some woman who does not live here expecting to be elected because she wears blue! Her answer to what she would do first for South Delta was so far off the mark it was a joke. Watch for the order to come down in this last week where no Conservative candidates will attend anything in case one or many might open their mouths. Dictator Harper and his goons can only handle so much damage control.

glen p robbins

Apr 23, 2011 at 6:06pm

Don - I think if it one's intention to knock on doors, then they should declare that and attend zero all candidates meetings. I suspect the line up of Conservative no shows says more about the need to suppress the opinions of candidates as another writer has indicated, and if that is the case, then it would be 'just' that all of these no-shows do not win--the cost of keeping quiet and taking one for the party.

Sue

Apr 24, 2011 at 12:57pm

I don't understand why this is a story. She did exactly the same thing during the last elections. Didn't show up for debates, wouldn't talk to reporters.

It is not just happening in Surrey. Happened in Langley too (Warawa). In fact, it is happening across Canada.

SKScott

Apr 24, 2011 at 3:19pm

Just out of curiosity, who is putting on this forum? How would this forum be any different than what the leaders did or said in their debate?

jeanoudy

Apr 24, 2011 at 8:50pm

To SKScott: There are always forums throughout all elections. Well, in Canada anyway. The local Chamber of Commerce is usually one of them. In my riding the local library invited candidates to come by and spend a couple of hours visiting anyone who wanted to talk to the candidates. It was a wonderful opportunity but not advertised enough. Most people found out about it after the fact but then the library isn't a very politically astute institution but I commend them for trying.

Colleges also make the effort to put on debates/forums. These venues allow the electorate the opportunity to come and hear the candidates speak on a variety of subjects. It's one of the cornerstones of democracy! Far better than a few minutes on my doorstep.

For candidates to say they aren't going to attend because they want to knock on 200 doors, I say to you, "What a cop-out"!! You can knock on all the doors you want to, but for the couple of minutes you spend speaking to me while I stand at the door with spoon in hand while the soup boils over on the stove (or what ever you have interupted) I don't think you can give me enough time to clearly hear what you are going to do about the economy etc. It's nice that you took the time to come knock on my door, however, chances are that it's not you at the door but one of your vollunteers who are not allowed to speak to any of the issues.

If you really care to give me the opportunity to get to know you and understand what you will do for me and my country, you better suit up, show up and participate in the debates. Yes, there are probably a few people from each campaign in the audience to ask the "leading" questions you want to put forward. But the people who put these debates/forums on are aware of this and handle the questioners in a fair manner so everyone has equal opportunity to ask their questions. It is also pretty easy to pick out the party plants in the crowd, you aren't fooling most of us.

When people like Donna Cadman and her ilk give pathetic excuses to ditch a debate you can be pretty sure they won't be there to answer your questions when they are elected as well. Many of us from North Surrey know this from experience. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me! I won't be fooled into voting Conservative again.

Two Faces Have I

Apr 25, 2011 at 10:24am

And vote for me because Harper wants a majority so he can carry on with his job of screwing Canadians over and leaving them without proper representation because Conservative MLAs are shut off at the mouth.