Kamloops Citizens Safety Committee, pictured during this Oct. 4, 2023, presentation, is a group planning to get increasingly involved with local politics as its members tout 15-minute city conspiracy theories.

(LEVI LANDRY / iNFOnews.ca)

Around 70 people showed up at a Kamloops community centre this week to watch a presentation about the United Nations control over local government.

The conspiracy theory-ridden presentation lasted an hour-and-a-half, Oct. 4, and was hosted by the Kamloops Citizen Safety Committee. On the surface, the group's website seems to promote generally noble ideals, like pushing for government accountability and "common sense climate policy."

The long-winded presentation was instead a poor civics lesson that implied the City is just one of many municipalities controlled by a global cabal.

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Organizer Geoff Snicer led the presentation, filling in attendees about "undemocratic" UN-led climate initiatives. He said his group doesn't have "solutions" yet, but it plans to grow its membership and work with city council in the future.

"The plan is for (Kamloops Citizen Safety Committee) to continue to work with council, continue to point out these problems in hopefully a respectful and useful way," Snicer said, warning local attendees they are "losing democratic rights."

While Snicer led the presentation, group member Justin Carwright and local Freedom Kamloops member Glenn Aalderink stood to the side. Aalderink is a former nurse and known for his role in organizing local anti-vaccine protests, but he is now part of a local BC Conservative Party riding association.

It's not clear what Aalderink's role is within the organization, but Snicer focused his presentation on issues he suggests the group can bring to city council.

"You expect they are working for you, but the more we show you they're not working for you, the more our association will grow until the point where we can get council to listen to us," Snicer said.

Most of the presentation alluded to theories that the UN is implementing centralized global control, largely through climate policy guidelines as governments try to cope with climate change.

READ MORE: On the road to 15 minute cities in Kamloops and the Okanagan

"Sustainable development" policies in Kamloops and other cities is simply a method to implement 15-minute cities and "full government control," as he claims more explicitly in an Action4Canada podcast. He does admit, however, the claims that people will be restricted from leaving their supposed 15-minute zones are not stated in any of the government documents he reads. 

He also lays out suggestions for others concerned about theories of future government control, wanting to speak with their local governments. He tells them not to start with "grand conspiracies" and speak the "lingo" used by bureaucrats.

"You need to familiarize yourself with the lingo," he said. "You're not going to find something really obvious... you have to read between the lines."

Ahead of the Oct. 4 presentation, Snicer spoke at a city council meeting to voice support for a FortisBC initiative. It was one of many he'll likely attend in the future as he uses the new "safety committee" to promote 15-minute city conspiracy theories.

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While speaking in an Action4Canada podcast, Snicer said there's no mention of 15-minute cities in Kamloops official plans. He's wrong, however.

The City's climate plan guides its future development to build 10-minute cities. The end goal is much simpler than the entrapment and control conspiracy theorists drum up.

In reality, it's an urban planning concept meant to give residents access to essential daily amenities, like work, education, food and healthcare within a 10 minute walk or bike ride.

The goal is to build cities that are more convenient for residents, while also reducing emissions because they do not need to drive as far.

It's not clear that Snicer's group plans to focus its efforts at Kamloops city hall or the Thompson Nicola Regional District, but he said there will be more presentations in the future and more efforts to advocate to the local governments.

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