How did the federal candidates answer the KASHA survey?

Daniel Mallett, KASHA board member, decided to ask our federal candidates questions that would be of interest to KASHA members. Each candidate had access to a survey on our website.

Here are the results:

Here is the list of everyone I contacted:

I didn’t contact any PPC candidates only because of lack of time.
See below for the surveys I received from Caroline Hopkins and Justin Kulik.  No other candidates filled out the survey.
Cindy Derkaz’s campaign manager emailed me saying to check their website (see below). 

Hi Dan:

Please see Cindy’s website at www.cindyderkaz.ca to get more information to help your group make your decision.
Kelowna is not in Cindy’s riding and therefore, Cindy’s information may not be that pertinent to your votes. Thanks for your interest!

~Kate Dauphinee
Campaign Manager
CINDY DERKAZ
2019 Candidate
Liberal Party of Canada in North Okanagan Shuswap

Caroline also emailed me (see below)

Thank you for your email and the link to your organization’s webpage. It is always interesting exploring what citizens feel,
believe and not believe. Your organization, on first glance, appears to be a think tank of free-thinkers and provocative
ideas….by provocative, I mean provokes one to think. I thank you for contacting me to share your issues, concerns and
general point of view.
Picasso once said, “There is only one way to look at things – until someone shows us how to look at them with different
eyes.” I will revisit your website and take the time to find out what your member groups view of the world is….All our opinions,
values and visions are important. Thank you for taking the time to share your ideas.
Kind regard,
Carolina Hopkins
Independent Candidate
Southern Interior – West Kootenay.

Name

Carolina Hopkins

Political Party

Riding

South Okanagan–West Kootenay

1.  If I am (re-)elected, then I will listen to and fairly represent the interests of atheist, skeptic and humanist constituents.

Strongly agree

2.  Freedom of speech is more important than the right to not be offended.

Agree

3.Science, reason and evidence should guide all political decisions.

Strongly agree

4.Public schools should provide age-appropriate, scientific information on methods of birth control and ways to reduce health risks of sexual activities.

Strongly agree

5.It is appropriate to teach alternatives to established and accepted scientific theories in public school science classes, regardless of supporting scientific evidence.

Strongly agree

6.The age of the Earth is closer to 4 billion years old than 6000 years old.

Agree

7.Speciation and the diversity of life are best explained by evolution through natural selection.

Neutral

8.To be inclusive of the diversity of religious belief and those with no religious belief the line “God keep our land glorious and free!” from our national anthem should be changed to “We keep our land glorious and free!”

Strongly agree

9.The recent change to “O Canada” from “”in all thy sons command” to “in all of us command” was appropriate

Strongly agree

10.The separation of religion and government is an important Canadian value that if (re)elected I will honor.

Strongly agree

11.A government employee who promotes, rather than accommodates, religion in his/her official capacity should be reprimanded or fired.

Strongly agree

12.Tax exemptions given to religious organizations are discriminatory and/or burdensome to the public and should be either opened to atheistic organizations or eliminated altogether.

Neutral

13.A religious leader who learns of a commission of a felony should not be immune from prosecution for failure to report the crime.

Strongly agree

14.A licensed pharmacist who, on account of religion, chooses not to dispense a prescription drug to a customer should have his or her license revoked.

Agree

15.Parents who, on account of religion, prevent their children from receiving life-saving medical treatment should not be immune from prosecution or from loss of custody of their children.

Neutral

16.Parents should be allowed to home school their children.

Agree

17.Parents who home school their children should be able to follow a curriculum of their choice.

Disagree

18.Schools that deny admission to, or otherwise discriminate against, children on account of the religions of the children, or their parents, should be ineligible to receive public education funds

Agree

19.The legal definition of marriage should be restricted to one man with one woman.

Neutral

20.Pregnant woman should have the right to publicly funded abortions

Agree

Please provide any comments or clarifications about any of the questions above

Interesting survey…although my personal views are important….a representative voice for the people should be neutral and carry the voices of the constituents.  Having said that, it is a tough challenge to find a neutral position and not allow your personal beliefs dictate the agenda. When you are not neutral about an event or situation, you make yourself vulnerable and risk putting yourself under its power or influence.  For the sake of the Constituents, I must maintain an open mind and hear all opinions, and whether or not they offend my personal beliefs – it is not my beliefs I am representing, it is everyones.

Name: Justin Kulik

Political Party

New Democratic Party

Riding

Kelowna–Lake Country

1.  If I am (re-)elected, then I will listen to and fairly represent the interests of atheist, skeptic and humanist constituents.

Strongly agree

2.  Freedom of speech is more important than the right to not be offended.

Neutral

3.Science, reason and evidence should guide all political decisions.

Strongly agree

4.Public schools should provide age-appropriate, scientific information on methods of birth control and ways to reduce health risks of sexual activities.

Strongly agree

5.It is appropriate to teach alternatives to established and accepted scientific theories in public school science classes, regardless of supporting scientific evidence.

Strongly disagree

6.The age of the Earth is closer to 4 billion years old than 6000 years old.

Strongly agree

7.Speciation and the diversity of life are best explained by evolution through natural selection.

Strongly agree

8.To be inclusive of the diversity of religious belief and those with no religious belief the line “God keep our land glorious and free!” from our national anthem should be changed to “We keep our land glorious and free!”

Strongly agree

9.The recent change to “O Canada” from “”in all thy sons command” to “in all of us command” was appropriate

Strongly agree

10.The separation of religion and government is an important Canadian value that if (re)elected I will honor.

Strongly agree

11.A government employee who promotes, rather than accommodates, religion in his/her official capacity should be reprimanded or fired.

Neutral

12.Tax exemptions given to religious organizations are discriminatory and/or burdensome to the public and should be either opened to atheistic organizations or eliminated altogether.

Agree

13.A religious leader who learns of a commission of a felony should not be immune from prosecution for failure to report the crime.

Disagree

14.A licensed pharmacist who, on account of religion, chooses not to dispense a prescription drug to a customer should have his or her license revoked.

Agree

15.Parents who, on account of religion, prevent their children from receiving life-saving medical treatment should not be immune from prosecution or from loss of custody of their children.

Strongly agree

16.Parents should be allowed to home school their children.

Neutral

17.Parents who home school their children should be able to follow a curriculum of their choice.

Disagree

18.Schools that deny admission to, or otherwise discriminate against, children on account of the religions of the children, or their parents, should be ineligible to receive public education funds

Strongly agree

19.The legal definition of marriage should be restricted to one man with one woman.

Strongly disagree

20.Pregnant woman should have the right to publicly funded abortions

Strongly agree

Please provide any comments or clarifications about any of the questions above

I am an atheist myself, and consider myself a humanist.As per my answer to question 13, I believe religious leaders in that capacity should be classified in the same way as attorneys, physicians, and therapists, recognizing confidence in conversations.As per my answer to question 10, I was a volunteer in the House of Prayers project from the BC Humanist Association, dedicated to transcribing and then analyzing prayers  delivered in the BC Legislature for their contents.