A Stand Up for Decency Rally will be held tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon in front of the campaign office of Andrew Lawton, Conservative Party of Canada candidate in the federal election.
myFM spoke with organizer Christine Rudman, who stressed racism, misogyny and homophobia have no place in our community or politics.
Rudman stressed, “This is not a protest about blue or red; it’s about rejecting extremism in any form.”
Audio PlayerRudman pointed out, “I believe in democracy and I think we need to just share who Andrew Lawton is and let people make their decision.”
She continued, “And I would go as far as to say he represents a global push to conservatism, almost a united populist movement. And I don’t think he’s an intellectual great, so I don’t think he’s going to be representing us adequately in that manner either.”
Audio PlayerRudman zeroed in on other concerns she and rally organizers harbour.
“We’re very concerned about his relationship to Pastor Hildebrand (with the Church of God in Aylmer) in the last 10 years, as well as the (trucker’s) convoy, which he supported.
“And I think he’s kind of gotten around that conversation by saying he was a journalist and was writing (CPC leader) Pierre Poilievre’s book at the time. But it all feels very disingenuous and not very truthful.”
Rudman made it clear the rally is not about endorsing a particular candidate.
“I think that the Conservative Party was really counting on this riding to go into the election quite blindfolded and just vote blue. And I just feel I have a lot more respect for the constituents in this riding, and I’d really like them to know and be clear and vote their conscience. I think that’s part of democracy.”
Saturday’s rally will take place from 2:45 to 5:15 at 626 Talbot Street in St. Thomas.
myFM requested a response from Andrew Lawton’s campaign and you can read that here.
Written by Ian McCallum
