CAMPBELL RIVER, B.C. – Campaign signs for school trustee candidates Andrew Beaudin, Manfred Hack, and Vanessa MacLean were found torn in a few places around Campbell River. Some lawn signs for the three candidates were also stolen.
Beaudin, Hack, and MacLean are against the SOGI 123 resource tool, which was designed to help educators across the province to create safe and inclusive spaces in classrooms for students who may identify as LGBTQ.
Andrew Beaudin said in a Facebook post that destroying the signs is of a “bullying nature,” and has said that the action has turned into hate.
“I want you to know that more than ever before, I am encouraged by your actions that I am on the right side. Our view for caring and safe schools for ALL are different than yours, as we want to protect our children. Our values are different than yours. SOGI says that we are ALL important and we are to be respectable. I have not seen that yet,” Beaudin wrote in a post.
“I guess people have an agenda, that’s it. I’m not going to be upset about it,” Hack said in a short interview. He said he’ll keep on campaigning.
The North Island Pride society vice president Shae Code has said that the situation is upsetting.
“It’s upsetting because we don’t want to see any kind of vandalism or any type of hate. Because the whole point of having this (SOGI) in the school is to eliminate that. So, we want to see people move forward with love and education. I do hope that people are taking the time to research the candidates and research what SOGI does stand for so they can make an educated vote at the ballots,” Code said.
