A very wild week for Penticton-Summerland MLA Boultbee

It has been a wild week for Penticton-Summerland MLA Amelia Boultbee, starting with a police investigation into a rock-throwing incident at her Penticton home and ending with rumours of her boss, Conservative Party leader John Rustad, being ousted as party leader.

Boultbee filed a complaint with the RCMP saying rocks were thrown at her Penticton home and at her vehicle.

“Last night at approximately 10 p.m., several vehicles and individuals approached my home and rocks were thrown at my home and vehicle,” said Boultbee, in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

“Police were called and investigated. While the motive or perpetrators remains unknown to me, this is very distressing in light of recent events. If anyone has additional information, please contact the local Penticton RCMP.”

The Penticton RCMP have confirmed they are conducting an investigation into Boultbee’s complaint and urge anyone that might have more information, to contact them. Penticton RCMP can be reached at 250-492-4300 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477

NDP Premier David Eby responded to Boultbee’s X post, saying there’s no place for political violence in a civil society.

“No matter our differences, we can all agree that political violence, especially the targeting of a home of an elected official, has no place in our province,” Eby wrote.

There were rumours Boultbee would leave caucus after she changed her social media picture to an image of her standing beside Elenore Sturko with both of them smiling.

Sturko, the MLA for Surrey-Cloverdale, was kicked out of the party by Rustad recently for challenging him in relation to allegations of ballot stuffing during the party’s recent leadership review.

Conservative Party senior staffer Lindsay Shepherd was also dismissed on an unrelated issue.

Rustad captured just over 70 per cent of the votes by party members during September’s leadership review.

Sturko said she hadn’t had any conversations with Boultbee about her possible departure from the Conservatives, but still believes that the party should move forward under new leadership.

“It’s a nice picture,” Sturko told reporters in Victoria.

“It’s actually from a year ago. My spouse was in the Ironman that was the last one in Penticton and I went and did an event with Amelia. I wouldn’t read too much into it, but I’m definitely flattered and honoured that she chose to use that as a profile picture.”

Boultbee said Friday she and Sturko are close and that’s the reason she posted the photo.

“Elenore is a good friend of mine and I will miss her from the caucus and I was just showing her some support,” said Boultbee, in a phone interview Friday with Okanagan Newspaper Group.

While she wouldn’t deny there has been controversy surrounding Rustad and his leadership, Boultbee said very few MLAs have voiced stronger support for him than she has.

“I would comment by saying whoever the leader is and whatever is going on, my focus is on serving my constituents in Penticton and Summerland,” she said. “We have a lot of important and pressing matters where we have to hold the NDP accountable and that’s what I’m going to be concentrating on this session.

“I supported John and I have been very loyal to him. I’m one of the only people who held a fundraiser in the middle of the membership scandal and I’m one of only three MLAs who hosted a fundraiser for him at all.”

Rustad’s name has been in the news almost daily as he’s facing dissention in the Conservative Party as the fall legislature got underway.

Speaking to reporters, Rustad refused to comment on the potential for another leadership vote, saying he knows his MLAs have many different views, but believes they are all united in defeating the current NDP government.

Meanwhile, Boultbee was part of a recent cabinet shuffle announced by Rustad.

After being named shadow minister in the position of Children and Family Development (MCFD), the party announced last week that Boultbee is the new Critic for Citizens’ Services.

“MCFD was an interesting challenge and I’m confident that my colleague Rosalyn Bird is going to do an excellent job,” she said. “I’m actively working to transition the file over to her and I’m looking forward to my new challenge at Citizens’ Services.”

Boultbee admitted it has been a hectic few days to kick off the new legislature, but it’s her goal to get the focus back on hot button issues that affect the daily lives of British Columbians.

“It’s definitely been a dynamic time, but the main focus is what’s going on with our economy, what’s going on in our hospitals, what’s going on with crime and the cost of living,” she said.

“The important thing is the services and policies that British Columbians should be getting, but are not receiving and that’s going to remain my focus.”

— This article was originally published by the Penticton Herald