Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran is standing behind remarks made last week asking tourists to 'stay away' if they are not fully vaccinated.
The BC Libertarian Party was upset over the mayors comments citing, "your body, your choice."
"It has been frustrating to be labelled as not being inclusive and being very divisive by telling people that they shouldn't come here if they are not vaccinated or that they should get vaccinated because it's the right thing to do. What is divisive is not getting vaccinated, putting other people's health at risk, restricting people's ability to make a living. That to me is divisive."
While his comments may have rubbed some people the wrong way, Basran stands by them, suggesting the current health crisis in the Central Okanagan isn't the result of an influx of tourists.
"I would please ask anybody who sees a visitor from Alberta to be kind and empathetic. You don't know their situation. You don't know if they have had both of their vaccines. The bigger concern is the residents of Kelowna who haven't had their vaccines", Basran added.