Mark Warawa latest Conservative candidate to skip candidates' meeting

Another federal candidates' meeting, another missing Conservative candidate.
I moderated a forum Monday in Aldergrove, which was organized by a number of seniors'  and veterans' groups. Candidates from the Langley-Aldergrove riding, which takes in most of Langley and a small portion of western Abbotsford, were invited to attend several weeks ago.
Three of them showed up - Green Simmi Dhillon, NDP Margot Sangster and Liberal Leon Jensen. All gave detailed presentations of both their parties' platforms and their own views on numerous seniors' and veterans' issues, as well as topics like the Kinder Morgan pipeline.

The 130 people or so in attendance were mostly seniors. Judging from their questions and conversations I had with a number of them afterwards, most were there to get more information about candidates, to help them decide who to vote for. There were few overt partisans of one candidate or another.

Prominently missing was longtime Conservative MP Mark Warawa. Also not there was Libertarian Lauren Southern. Both had been invited.
In Warawa's case, his campaign office was repeatedly badgered by one of the organizers, well-known Langley volunteer extraordinaire Sylvia Anderson, to have him attend. They repeatedly said that he was busy with other commitments.
I was surprised at his absence. He's never been shy about engaging with the public. I've moderated numerous town hall meetings that his office has organized, and he has often been asked hard questions. While the questioner may not have always been happy with the response, Warawa didn't shy away from giving an answer.
I've said many times in the past that other Conservatives could take a leaf out of Warawa's book, by being available for media comments and putting themselves on the line at town hall meetings. I was very disappointed that he adopted another tactic - staying away from a meeting - on Monday.
The organizers have arranged another meeting Wednesday, at the Langley Seniors Resource Centre in Langley City, for candidates in the new Cloverdale-Langley City riding. It begins at 1:30 p.m. I was told Monday that Conservative candidate Dean Drysdale is planning to attend, along with Liberal John Aldag, NDP Rebecca Smith and Green Scott Anderson.
I will be moderating that meeting as well. If you live in that riding, come and check the candidates out.

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