Controversial Okanagan MLA joins new BC political party

A pair of independent MLAs, who were originally elected as members of the BC Conservative Party, have started their own political party.

Vancouver-Quilchena Dallas Brodie MLA and Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream MLA Tara Armstrong are the first two members of the One BC Party with Brodie the registered interim leader.

Brodie and Armstrong have yet to make an official announcement, but the Once BC Party is registered as of June 12. Brodie and Armstrong are the only members listed on the party’s website.

Brodie was ousted from the BC Conservative Party for mocking residential school survivors and Armstrong followed her out. Peace River North MLA Jordan Kealy joined the pair when they left the Conservatives but hasn’t signed on to the new party.

Brodie and Armstrong have been steadily campaigning against Indigenous sovereignty. Armstrong has received significant backlash from the Penticton Indian Band as well as the Central Okanagan school district for arguing against First Nations’ rights.

“She has set herself apart in the Legislature as one of the sharpest critics of the government, including on the NDP’s radical gender ideology and Premier David Eby’s ties to communist China,” Armstrong’s bio on the new party’s website reads.

The party’s spokesperson Tim Thielmann said a statement will be issued shortly.

An online petition has been started to recall Armstrong but recall petitions can’t collect signatures until 18 months after the election.