UPDATE: 11:50 a.m.
The City of Kelowna released a statement Thursday morning regarding Councillor Ron Cannan含羞草研究社檚 recent column published to an online media, claiming the opinions of Cannan are his personal views and do not represent the views of Kelowna City Council.
含羞草研究社淢embers of council and the public have shared their concerns with me regarding Councillor Cannan含羞草研究社檚 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,含羞草研究社� 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 含羞草研究社渄ue consideration. 含羞草研究社�
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Original:
A Kelowna City Councillor含羞草研究社檚 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 Kelowna as both a councillor and Member of Parliament.
The opinion piece titled 含羞草研究社楳y predictions for Kelowna, BC and the world in 2024含羞草研究社�, was published to the Now Media Group含羞草研究社檚 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 含羞草研究社渢ransgender movement,含羞草研究社� 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?
含羞草研究社� Wilbur Turner 馃嚚馃嚘馃彸锔徍卟菅芯可鐛馃寛馃彸锔徍卟菅芯可鐛鈿э笍 (@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 Kelowna City Council as one of seven municipalities across the province that opened its 2022 inaugural council meeting with prayer.
READ MORE: Prayer at West Kelowna council violates Supreme Court ruling
In an interview with Capital News regarding Cannan含羞草研究社檚 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 government含羞草研究社檚 duty to practice religious neutrality to pray during a council meeting, individual representatives are free to express themselves and share their religious beliefs.
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 not illegal, it含羞草研究社檚 just not inclusive,含羞草研究社� said Phelps Bondaroff.
Phelps Bondaroff said that while Cannan is entitled to share his opinion, the Kelowna politician seems to be using religion, 含羞草研究社渨edge issues,含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社渄ivisive politics含羞草研究社� to elicit an emotional response from his constituents.
含羞草研究社淭his reflects on Cannan and his priorities, which seem to be promoting his religion over inclusivity.含羞草研究社�
Okanagan College professor of social issues and former Kelowna politician Norah Bowman, PhD, also spoke out and shared her disappointment after reading what she called, 含羞草研究社渕ean and untruthful statements,含羞草研究社� in Cannan含羞草研究社檚 piece.
Bowman specifically referenced Cannan含羞草研究社檚 opinions on the future of the war in Ukraine as being misleading.
In the article, Cannan stated that the public is no longer, 含羞草研究社渂uying what the [Ukrainian] regime is selling.含羞草研究社�
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 含羞草研究社渞egime含羞草研究社� 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 doesn含羞草研究社檛 support Putin.
含羞草研究社淛ust think people don含羞草研究社檛 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.含羞草研究社�
Bowman went on to say that Cannan含羞草研究社檚 prediction that school boards will continue to face pushback regarding含羞草研究社� what he called含羞草研究社� the 含羞草研究社淪OGI (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) policy and transgender movement含羞草研究社� is not factual and perpetuates misinformation.
Speaking as a former school board trustee Bowman stated that the SOGI resources in schools are not a 含羞草研究社減olicy,含羞草研究社� and that there is no 含羞草研究社渢ransgender movement.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淗is column is not grounded in reality,含羞草研究社� said Bowman. 含羞草研究社淚t is not appropriate, professional or respectful of a diverse society.含羞草研究社�
She said that based on the prediction piece Cannan is not fulfilling his responsibilities as a 含羞草研究社渟ecular leader in a pluralistic society.含羞草研究社�
Mayor Tom Dyas is currently not in the city, however, the mayoral office is working to prepare a media statement regarding Cannan含羞草研究社檚 piece.
In a media statement, the City of Kelowna said that 含羞草研究社渆lected officials are free to express their thoughts and opinions含羞草研究社� The City of Kelowna is a secular institution that supports a multi-cultural, inclusive approach to governance.含羞草研究社�
The city also stated that all Kelowna 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 Cannan含羞草研究社檚 column, but have not received a response.
含羞草研究社淗e is not being cancelled. He is being called out,含羞草研究社� reiterated Bowman.
