A political controversy was brewing Sunday amid Canada Day celebrations at the legislature.
Edmonton East MP Peter Goldring says he’s upset that his national unity display was rejected from this year’s festivities.
Since 1996, Goldring has gone to the legislature grounds to talk about national unity but that changed this year.
After several years of promoting national unity, Goldring was turned away this year by the legislature’s Sergeant-at-Arms Brian Hodgson.
“He has to decide is he for Canadian unity or is he for some sort of separation?” Goldring said.
“What does he really stand for?”
Goldring says he was trying to be patriotic, not political, when he tried to register a booth at the legislature for the nation’s 145th birthday celebrations.
Hodgson says the event is a celebration, not a political forum.
“We don’t see that there’s a requirement to have organized political groups setting up booths here,” Hodgson said.
He acknowledges that Goldring was allowed at the legislature in previous years, but says he made the decision that it’s now no longer appropriate.
“In recent years any kind of activity that involved an organized political group setting up a presence here was not considered appropriate and consistent with what we’re trying to do on Canada Day,” Hodgson said.
Goldring, who is currently facing impaired driving-related charges and sitting as an independent M.P., insists he was just trying to do his duty as an MP and a member of the Committee for Canadian Unity.
“I fail to see how supporting Canadian unity is possibly political,” he said.
He’s now demanding both an explanation and an apology. He’s written a letter to House Speaker Gene Zwozdesky and would like an official response.
Goldring is expected to appear in court on impaired-driving related charges in November.
With files from Sean Amato
