Latest news with #OneBC
Vancouver Sun
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Vancouver Sun
What does the creation of OneBC mean for the province's political scene?
When the legislature resumes in October, it will have four political parties, after the formation of OneBC this week by independent MLAs Dallas Brodie of Vancouver-Quilchena and Tara Armstrong of Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream. Brodie was ejected from the B.C. Conservatives in March for comments about the Kamloops Indian Residential School that many First Nations called residential school denialism and an appearance on a podcast with former Mount Royal professor Frances Widdowson where she made comments that Conservative Leader John Rustad said mocked residential school survivors. Armstrong and Jordan Kealy, MLA for Peace River North, left the Conservatives in solidarity with Brodie and in the months since the three have formed an alliance on issues such as defending an ostrich farm in the B.C. interior that has been marked for a cull due to avian flu. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. OneBC was officially registered with Elections B.C. on June 9 and will grant Brodie and Armstrong additional funding and privileges in the legislature. In a press release on Thursday, the party outlined several policy planks from ending 'mass immigration' to defunding 'the reconciliation industry.' Other promises include pushing for a ban on strikes by teachers, allowing private health-care, and steep cuts to income taxes. Questioned about these policies by Postmedia on Friday, Brodie said the goal is to deliver on the goals that initially ignited the Conservative base. She said B.C. needs to get control over immigration in the same way as Quebec and allow for people to pay for health-care here instead of waiting for months and months, a change she believes would also reduce the burden on the public system. As for the 'reconciliation industry,' Brodie alleged that money meant to help First Nations children get ahead has instead been siphoned off to an army of lawyers, consultants and some chiefs and councils. 'What's happened is the money isn't getting down to the people who need it,' said Brodie. OneBC will not get funding through Elections B.C. as it was not a registered party during the last election. Where it will get money is through the legislature, with each party of at least two members considered a recognized caucus as soon as they have notified the office of the Speaker. Under this designation, the party will receive $108,471 per MLA for a total of $216,942. It will also receive $442,000 for Brodie's office as leader. Brodie herself will receive a top-up of $29,883.19 to her base salary of $119,532.72, meaning she will receive a total of just under $150,000, the same as Green interim leader Jeremy Valeriote. Yes. Historically the practice has been to give each party at least one question during question period, which takes place each day the legislature sits for a period of half an hour, with the Conservatives being given a question and a followup every question period after becoming an officially recognized party in September 2023. Likewise, the Greens as the official third party in the legislature receive one question and one followup during each question period. Previously the three independents got one question between them each week. Speaking to Postmedia on Friday, Kealy said he doesn't align with Armstrong and Brodie on all of their policies, although he wouldn't say which ones he disagrees with, and believes continuing on as an independent MLA is the best way for him to represent his riding of Peace River North. He isn't closing the door on joining either OneBC or another political party but for now considers himself a 'lone wolf.' 'One of the primary issues that we're having in the North here is our health-care system that is falling to pieces, and we struggle to get staff and professionals for our health care system right now,' said Kealy. 'My region's also been on fire for the past three years, and the current government seems to not really prioritize putting those fires out when they can. So there's a lot of issues that are pressing for my region that are different than others.' Four. The last time there were this many parties was last August just before B.C. United Leader Kevin Falcon's decision to drop his party out of the provincial election in an effort to consolidate support behind the B.C. Conservatives. That consolidation of the centre-right and right-wing vote only lasted for seven months before Brodie, Armstrong and Kealy left the Conservatives to sit as independents. 'John Rustad has to deal with the problems that Kevin Falcon had to deal with before, and although in the short-term, Rustad, I think, might have a little bit more success than Falcon did, because this new party is so far to the right. And, in the short term, I think that's going to make John Rustad and the B.C. Conservatives look more moderate,' said Hamish Telford, a University of the Fraser Valley political scientist. There hasn't been this much upheaval in B.C. provincial politics since the early 1990s when a series of short-lived parties formed out of the collapse of Social Credit before the B.C. Liberals under former premier Gordon Campbell were able to consolidate their free-enterprise coalition in the lead-up to the 2001 election.
Hamilton Spectator
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
‘Let the chips fall': New B.C. party's leader vows to go where others won't
VICTORIA - The interim leader of B.C.'s newest political party says it will raise issues other parties won't dare to touch. Dallas Brodie said these included the effects of the 'reconciliation industry,' electoral reform, and ending mass immigration, and she will 'let the chips fall where they may' when it's time to run for re-election. The new One BC party went public on Thursday, with 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. 'Tara and I are taking a principled stance,' Brodie said in an interview on Friday. 'We believe that there is room for the discussions that we are raising, and we will take our shots at the polls, and we will do our best to build (the party).' Conservative Party of B.C. Leader John Rustad kicked Brodie out of caucus in March following comments about residential schools, and Armstrong and Jordan Kealy followed her out. All three sat as Independents before the creation of One BC, and Kealy said he hasn't ruled out joining the new party, although he has doubts about its chances. Brodie said the party has four planks: major cuts to taxes and government spending; dismantling 'the reconciliation industry and ending racist laws like … the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act;' ending mass immigration, and introducing democratic reform that would see most B.C. residents vote on the same day with ballots counted by hand. The party's website also calls for the support of a 'broad array of life-affirming policies to increase birthrates, marriage rates, and life expectancy among other indicators of a healthy and vibrant society.' Brodie acknowledged that her former party had campaigned on many of those issues, when asked what her new party is offering that the Conservatives aren't. 'Also what we ran on was being strong on social issues, and that has been all watered down by the Conservative Party,' she said. '(There) is almost no difference between them and the NDP that I can see at this point — it's NDP and NDP Light.' Brodie said she believes there are other members of the legislature who will join her party, but she declined to identify them. Two sitting members in the house give One BC official party status, which Brodie said would make the party more 'interesting to other MLAs, who are still in the Conservative caucus.' Kealy said in an interview Friday that he questioned the new party's electoral prospects. 'I think they'll have a very difficult time getting re-elected, because I think that spectrum of (potential) voters is becoming disenfranchised, and in all honesty, I think talk is cheap.' Kealy said his role as an MLA is to fix existing problems in his riding of Peace River North, adding that his experience of seeing the Conservatives turn into a 'big tent party' has made him 'cautious' about joining another party. 'I have said that even before I joined the Conservative Party, that I am doing this for my region first and foremost, and I will not be whipped by a party.' Brodie said the door remains open for Kealy. Mark Marissen, a political strategist and former mayoral candidate in Vancouver, said on social media that the emergence of One BC is the birth of a 'new anti-First Nations political party.' When asked about Marissen's comments, Brodie said the effects of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act need to be discussed in open and her party is committed to repealing it. 'It's taking a lot of communities by surprise,' she said. Brodie, who represents Vancouver-Quilchena, said the legislature needs to be a place where 'there are no topics that are off limit.' She said few people want to discuss the law passed by the NDP government on the rights of Indigenous Peoples in an 'open' and 'transparent' manner. 'They (would) just rather call people names, and shut down the conversation, and that's not going to help B.C.,' she said. Armstrong is the MLA for Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream. Brodie has been criticized in the past for comments about First Nations. In February, she wrote on social media that the 'number of confirmed child burials at the former Kamloops Residential School site is zero.' Speaking at an election event in October 2024, Brodie said First Nations demanding autonomy must take responsibility for the problems of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. '(When) a large percentage of your people are on the Downtown Eastside, it's important that you come take responsibility for that piece as well,' she said. 'It's not OK to leave your people dying.' Brodie said she doesn't deny what has happened at residential schools. The New Democratic Party said in a statement that the One BC members are 'fixated on spreading anti-Indigenous racism, attacking the LGBTQ+ community (and) stoking western separatism.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 13, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Toronto Star
18 hours ago
- 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
Winnipeg Free Press
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
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 Kealy and Armstrong quit the B.C. Conservatives in March after Leader John Rustad kicked Brodie out of caucus over her comments about residential schools. Kealy says Brodie and Armstrong will find it very difficult getting re-elected under their new party, because it's appealing to a 'spectrum of voters' that he says is becoming 'disenfranchised with the system.' He says he wishes them both good luck, but also adds that 'talk is cheap' and that he will 'not be whipped by a party.' Brodie says in an Instagram post that One BC will defund what she calls 'the reconciliation industry' and build a 'prosperous tax-free B.C.' within a decade. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 13, 2025.
CBC
a day ago
- 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.
