MP not welcome at Santa’s parade next year: organizers

By Michael Gennings Staryner Sun

The head of the Creemore BIA says Simcoe-Grey MP Kellie Leitch is not welcome at the village’s Santa Claus parade next year after a candy throwing incident at this year’s parade on Dec. 7.

BIA president Corey Finkelstein said he witnessed Leitch tossing candy from the small yellow convertible she was riding in during the parade.

The BIA organizes the parade and tossing candy is a big no-no. Organizers ask that people hand candy directly to parade watchers.

“There are two issues,” Finkelstein said. “One is kids could get hurt – they could get bumped by a float or slip and fall under a float while trying to grab a piece of candy. And the second issue is litter – because once candy falls on the ground the kids aren’t likely to pick it up and then you have a garbage issue.”

Finkelstein said he was standing at the intersection of Mill and Caroline streets when he witnessed Leitch tossing candy.

“I walked up to the car and asked her not to throw candy,” he said. “I said she was told that – she knows the rules.”

Finkelstein said he politely asked Leitch to stop.

“And she basically got very irate about that,” he said. “She rolled out of the back of the convertible and said ‘Well that’s fine but I’m going to stop the parade for as long as I want. This is your fault. I’m going to make sure every kid gets a candy before this parade gets rolling again.’”

Finkelstein said he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“I was shocked and so were people around me,” he said.

Because of how Leitch acted, Finkelstein said the MP is not welcome at the 2014 parade.

But in a telephone interview Thursday, Leitch disputed Finkelstein’s account of what happened.

“I don’t know if I’d call it an incident,” Leitch said. “He came up to me and said I shouldn’t throw candy from the car. I got out of the car and started handing out the candy. It wasn’t anything more than that.”

Leitch said she apologized to Finkelstein and explained she was going to hand out candy to each child.

“I told him I was going to give all the children candy,” she said. “I’d given it to others. There was no altercation. Everyone was in a good mood and excited to get candy canes.”

Leitch said she walked the rest of the route handing out candy.

She noted that until Finkelstein approached her she wasn’t aware of the rule forbidding parade participants from tossing candy.

Finkelstein said the rule is posted at the Simcoe County public works yard where the parade marshals and added that parade participants are verbally reminded when registering at the yard the day of the parade.

But Leitch said she didn’t register the day of the parade. She just showed up. Leitch said she’s thrown out candy before at the parade and was never told it was an issue.

Finkelstein said he also took exception with the fact Leitch was leading the parade, noting another float was designated for that position.

When asked about her placement in the parade, Leitch said she arrived at the county yard and asked if she could be placed at the front because afterwards she had to get to Tottenham for that community’s parade. She said a volunteer then placed her in the lead position.

“I’ve obviously rubbed this gentlemen (Mr. Finkelstein) the wrong way and I apologize for that,” Leitch said.

And despite the BIA saying she isn’t welcome next year, Leitch said she absolutely intends to be there.

“Christmas is about community and family and Creemore is where I live,” she said.