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Shuswap municipality wants B.C. to prohibit ‘organizations paying individuals to protest’

Sicamous Coun. Colleen Anderson suspects there’s U.S. influence in B.C.
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Sicamous council passed a resolution regarding “organizations paying individuals to protest on their behalf” at its Feb. 9, 2022 meeting. (Zachary Roman/Eagle Valley News)

Sicamous council believes paid protesters are a problem in B.C.

At council’s Feb. 10 meeting, Coun. Colleen Anderson brought forward a motion for the district to submit a resolution to the Southern Interior Local Government Association.

Anderson’s resolution would have the provincial government investigate and lobby for the prohibition of “organizations paying individuals to protest on their behalf.” In her resolution, she states “individuals that are recruited and paid by organizations to protest on their behalf create a false perception of public opinion on matters of community interest.”

Commenting on her resolution to council, Anderson alleged B.C.’s abundant natural resources lead to a big influence from people outside of B.C. “hired to come and make noise which creates chaos in our province.”

“Seeing the freedom convoy in Ottawa, I suspect there’s more U.S. influence than we even suspect in our province,” said Anderson.

She hopes to start a conversation about the issue of paid protesters, even if her resolution “ends up on the cutting room floor somewhere.”

At Sicamous council, however, it was passed unanimously. Mayor Terry Rysz said he thinks the resolution could have been brought forward a long time ago as he believes B.C. is impacted by paid protesters.

“We are being controlled by some of these different groups,” said Rysz.

Read more: Sicamous and Malakwa non-profits working together to serve their communities

Read more: ‘No kid gets left behind’: North Shuswap community supports school lunch program


Do you have something else we should report on? Email: zachary.roman@saobserver.net
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