Latest news with #JordanKealy
Toronto Star
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Star
Independent MLA Kealy doubts prospects of new B.C. party, but won't rule out joining
VICTORIA - Independent British Columbia legislator Jordan Kealy says he isn't ruling out joining a new political party formed by two fellow former B.C. Conservatives, but he also questions their electoral prospects. The new One BC party went public on Thursday, with Dallas Brodie announcing herself as interim leader and Tara Armstrong house leader as they unveiled plans to combat what Brodie called 'the globalist assault' on B.C.'s history, culture and families
CBC
13-06-2025
- Politics
- CBC
2 MLAs form new B.C. political party that courts social conservatives
Social Sharing Two of B.C.'s three Independent MLAs have formed a political party that wants to lower taxes, take away teachers' right to strike, and crack down on so-called mass immigration. The party, called One B.C., also wants an end to what it calls B.C.'s "reconciliation industry," and to see the province allow for private healthcare. Dallas Brodie, MLA for Vancouver-Quilchena, is the interim leader, while Tara Armstrong, who represents Kelowna–Lake Country–Coldstream, is the party's house leader. "There is a hunger out there for the policies that the B.C. Conservative party initially put forward and we all ran on," said Brodie. "We've got the base now disillusioned with what's happening with that party." Both politcians were elected as members of the B.C. Conservatives, but parted ways in the winter. One B.C. registered as a political party on June 9. Absent from the ticket is the third Independent MLA, Jordan Kealy, who is also a former B.C. Conservative. Kealy, the MLA for Peace River North, said there was a clash over the new party's values and leadership. "There was a disagreement in what our perspectives were and that's one of the reasons I asked to have more time to think about things," Kealy told CBC News. Watch | Why these B.C. Conservatives became Independents: 3 former Conservative MLAS will sit as Independents in B.C. Legislature 3 months ago Duration 2:37 It an attempt to grow the party and poach MLAs, One B.C. sent an email to those sitting as B.C. Conservatives. Armstrong and Kealy left in solidarity, accusing Rustad of diluting Conservative values. Since then, the trio has pushed issues in the legislature such as repealing the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and ending sexual orientation and gender identity policies in schools. CBC News asked Brodie how she can repair relations with Indigenous communities, including the Musequem First Nation in her riding, which said she has advanced views that amount to a denial of the experience of residential school survivors. Brodie denied that she was mocking residential school survivors in the podcast interview posted to YouTube. "I was mocking post-modern, woke culture that does not seem to accept that there are certain truths that are objective truths," she said. Brodie said Rustad advanced a "lie" to "dirty me up after while I was being thrown out of the party." WATCH | Comments made on a podcast changed the course of this MLA's career: MLA's podcast comments get her removed from B.C. Conservative caucus 3 months ago Duration 0:21 As for what she means by "defunding the reconciliation industry", Brodie said large sums of money are going to "law firms, accountants, consultants, developers and chiefs and councils and the money is not getting down to where it needs to be." "I don't know anybody in this province who doesn't want a better way forward for the Native kids and the kids who are living on reserves," Brodie said. Wade Grant, a Liberal MP and former Musqueam councillor, said it's shameful that Brodie is trying to "play into the fear of what reconciliation means." "Reconciliation is about bringing together Indigenous peoples, the First Nations, Inuit back into the fold of the mosaic of Canada," he said. Grant said Brodie's position is really "setting reconciliation back generations when we've moved so far forward." WATCH | Indigenous leader calls out residential school denialism: UBCIC president says politicians need to stop advancing residential school denialism 2 months ago Duration 9:57 The party also advocates for making teachers essential workers and stripping their right to strike, and to slash income taxes by 50 per cent for those making $100,000 or less. It also wants to end what it calls the "government's deadly healthcare monopoly" by allowing British Columbians to purchase private health care or insurance. NDP MLA Sheila Malcolmson says the party is founded on division. "These MLAs have attacked one group after the next — Indigenous people, LGBTQ+ people. They just want to make people hate each other. It's the most divisive and harmful politics we've seen in B.C. in our lifetimes," she said. Forming an official political party gives the two MLAs a pay raise, funding for caucus staff and more opportunities to ask questions in the legislature. Former B.C. Liberal and B.C. United communications director Andrew Reeve says the new party could siphon off votes from the B.C. Conservatives, which is also facing a challenge from another new party, Karin Kirkpatrick's Centre B.C.
Globe and Mail
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Globe and Mail
Three MLAs are supporting a B.C. farming family whose 400 ostriches are to be culled
A member of an ostrich farming family held back tears as she called on the provincial government to help stop the cull of their 400 birds. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency ordered the cull in late 2024 after an avian flu outbreak, but family spokesperson Katie Pasitney says the animals living on her parents' farm in Edgewood, B.C., are 'healthy' and 'happy' now and pose no risk. Pasitney says the birds are her family's livelihood and having to kill them would be catastrophic. As Canada rushes to curb bird flu, B.C. farmers decry cull order for 400 ostriches Pasitney is in Victoria meeting provincial officials, including B.C. Agriculture Minister Lana Popham, and is receiving support from three former Conservative MLAs, who are now sitting as independents. The family and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency are waiting on a Federal Court judge to rule on the fate of the animals. Peace River North MLA Jordan Kealy acknowledges that the federal government will ultimately decide the fate of the birds, but says the provincial government can help secure a stay of execution by lobbying for an exemption from the rules.
