Editor’s note: A previous version identified Tamara Jansen as owner of Darvonda Nurseries. In fact, she is a co-founder of the nursery.
About a dozen protesters descended on the campaign office of a B.C. Conservative election candidate Monday, to raise awareness of what they call her extreme views.
The demonstrators were targeting Cloverdale-Langley City candidate and Darvonda Nurseries co-founder Tamara Jansen.
Jansen has been active in the pro-life movement, and spoke at the 2018 March for Life at the B.C. legislature, where she likened medical assistance in dying (MAiD) at B.C. hospices to “death camps.”
“When our dear ones are at their weakest and most vulnerable time of life they are encouraged by activist health-care professionals to hasten death and ease everyone’s burden,” she told the crowd.
She was ranked as a “green-light” candidate by the anti-abortion Campaign Life Coalition for her pro-life stance.
She has also actively participated in campaigns with the Association for Reformed Political Action, which says its mission is to “educate, equip and encourage Reformed Christians to political action, and to bring a biblical perspective to our civil authorities.”
Jansen has also come under fire for posts to social media questioning the science of climate change and Darwinian evolution.
Demonstrator Emily Hougan said she felt many in the riding did not know much about Jansen’s social stances.
“She is standing for the Conservative Party, but her views are a lot more extreme than the Conservative Party. I’m a little bit surprised that she was even allowed to run for the Conservatives.”
“We wanted to draw attention to the fact that this is her stance. People need to know who their local candidate is, not just blindly vote for the federal party they have been voting for years.”
The Conservative Party declined an on-camera interview with Jansen, saying she was busy getting out the advance vote.
“Justin Trudeau and the Liberals want to focus on divisive issues because they can’t run on their record,” said Jansen in a statement provided by the party.
“What I am hearing at the doors is that Canadians are tired of these scare tactics and want a government that will help them get ahead.”
Jansen went on to say she believes in a society where Canadians are free to worship, protest or believe in what they want without fear of persecution.
Cloverdale-Langley City is one of eight traditionally Conservative ridings in B.C.’s outer suburbs that the Liberals managed to flip in 2015. It was formed in 2012 from three ridings, all of which sent Conservatives to Ottawa in every election from 2004-2011.
Liberal John Aldag, who is standing for re-election, won it in 2015 with 45.5 per cent of the vote, and the area’s demographics have shifted in recent years due to rapid development.
The NDP is fielding Rae Banwarie, the Greens are fielding Caelum Nutbrown, and the PPC is fielding Ian Kennedy.
Comments