With three MLAs leaving the BC Conservative Party in one day, two of their former colleagues shared their thoughts on their party's current state while in South Surrey on Sunday.
Following Vancouver-Quilchena MLA Dallas Brodie's removal from the Conservative caucus Friday (March 7) after appearing on a video podcast discussing residential schools, two of her fellow MLAs also 香蕉视频直播 with possible plans to start a new political party. Peace River North MLA Jordan Kealy and Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream MLA Tara Armstrong announced via Facebook they would both be leaving the party, with both blaming party leader John Rustad.
Conservative house leader A'aliya Warbus, MLA for Chilliwack Cultus-Lake, and Surrey-White Rock MLA Trevor Halford, also a Conservative, attended the Semiahmoo First Nation's annual powwow at Earl Marriott Secondary Sunday (March 9), and took the time to speak to Peace Arch News about their party.
Warbus, who spoke up against Brodie in a , said at a Semiahmoo First Nation powwow on Sunday that the party is experiencing 香蕉视频直播済rowing pains.香蕉视频直播
香蕉视频直播淢y feelings are that, as a party, we are continually working to define ourselves since we all decided to work together under the big tent,香蕉视频直播 she said Sunday (Feb. 9) while enjoying the powwow, an annual tradition at Earl Marriott Secondary in South Surrey for nearly 30 years.
香蕉视频直播淏ig tent is never going to be easy. It香蕉视频直播檚 bound to have its challenges, its moments, its growing pains, and to me (Brodie and other MLAs香蕉视频直播 departure) was an example of that. Where we are going to land as a party is going to define us, moving forward, and I believe if we take strong stances on things like our history with Indigenous peoples that we香蕉视频直播檙e going to grow from that and 香蕉视频直播 be a solid opposition.香蕉视频直播
Conservative Surrey-White Rock MLA Trevor Halford, who was also at the powwow, said it was disappointing to lose MLAs from their party but emphasized he has 香蕉视频直播渮ero tolerance香蕉视频直播 for 香蕉视频直播渁nything regarding hate or intolerance.香蕉视频直播
香蕉视频直播淚 fully support reconciliation,香蕉视频直播 he said. 香蕉视频直播淵ou香蕉视频直播檙e either on the team or you香蕉视频直播檙e not. I香蕉视频直播檓 on the team, and I香蕉视频直播檓 focused on what we need to be focused on,香蕉视频直播 he added, mentioning the looming U.S. tariffs and potential trade war, among other pressing issues.
Peace Arch News also reached out to Conservative Surrey South MLA Brent Chapman.
The MLAs who left the party appeared for a brief press conference at the legislature in Victoria Monday (March 10). In their social media posts, they blamed the party's environment and Rustad. All three are listed as independents on the Legislative Assembly of B.C.'s website.
Kealy said he witnessed firsthand how toxic the Conservative Party of B.C. had become.
"Some of the worst bullies sit in the legislature, and the BC Conservatives are no exception. I stood up for a fellow MLA who was harassed for speaking the truth, only to become a target myself," Kealy said in his social media post.
"The party has created an environment where some so-called 'Conservatives' would rather throw cheap insults than deal with facts. There were no apologies, no accountability, and I refuse to stand with those who either enable or ignore that kind of behaviour."
Armstrong said that under Rustad's leadership, "one compromise after another has transformed that party into something I no longer recognize."
Brodie had come under fire from the public, the NDP and fellow Conservative MLAs for her post to X on Feb. 22 as the party's then-attorney general critic claiming "apparent mistreatment" of a lawyer who is suing his own law society for libel after having asked the society to reword training materials around residential schools. In her posts, she said "the confirmed number of child burials at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School site is zero ... No one should be afraid of the truth. Not lawyers, their governing bodies, or anyone else."
Brodie refused to take down the post and posted her letter to Attorney General Niki Sharma on March 4.
On a recent podcast appearance, Rustad said Brodie used "a mocking, child-like voice to belittle testimony from former residential school students, saying things like 'my grandmother香蕉视频直播檚 truth' and 'my truth, your truth' in a child-like 香蕉视频直播榳hining香蕉视频直播 voice." He referenced that podcast in his decision to remove her from the caucus.
Brodie has since doubled down on her claims of zero bodies found at residential schools and said the truth is a threat to "powerful vested interests in the multi-billion-dollar reconciliation industry."
For Warbus, who changed into a beautifully beaded and decorated outfit to join in at the powwow, separating her personal life from her professional life is key, but she enjoyed the chance to join in the powwow in South Surrey.
香蕉视频直播淔or me, this is my medicine. This is the space where I feel very safe, very supported 香蕉视频直播 very grounded in who I am,香蕉视频直播 she said. 香蕉视频直播淚 have to keep my feet grounded in my culture and my community so that I can be strong in the important work I need to do.香蕉视频直播
香蕉视频直播 with files from Lauren Collins