MLAs voted overwhelmingly in favour of a motion Thursday affirming support for British Columbia’s Human Rights Code after recent calls from several Pride organizations.
Seventeen Pride groups said in a joint letter on Monday they are “deeply disturbed” by Independent MLA Tara Armstrong’s recent introduction of a bill to repeal B.C.’s Human Rights Code.
Armstrong’s private member’s bill was voted down at first reading on Feb. 26. Several B.C. Conservative members voted in favour of it, with some arguing that all bills should go to first reading, no matter how controversial, so they can be scrutinized by MLAs and British Columbians.
The Pride groups called on the Legislative Assembly to formally censure Armstrong and said she should resign as MLA for Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream. They also urged MLAs to take action to show support for the Code in the House.
Jennifer Blatherwick, parliamentary secretary for gender equity, responded in a letter Wednesday, saying the NDP would introduce a motion to affirm support for the Code and the Human Rights Tribunal that enforces it.
“Supporting the Code and Tribunal used to be matters of cross-partisan consensus,” said Blatherwick. “Unfortunately, this has changed in recent weeks.”
She said anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric has increased since a recent Human Rights Tribunal decision that found several statements by then–Chilliwack school board trustee Barry Neufeld about trans and queer-inclusive education amounted to hate speech. The tribunal found Neufeld violated Sections 7 and 13 of the Code and ordered him to pay $750,000.
Blatherwick also pointed to online comments made by Armstrong and others that included inaccurate claims about transgender people and violence following last month’s shooting in Tumbler Ridge. RCMP have said the shooter was an 18-year-old trans woman.
“By bringing forward this motion, we are asking every MLA to clearly and publicly stand behind the legal protections that generations of people have fought for,” said Blatherwick.
Armstrong, OneBC leader Dallas Brodie and Independent Jordan Kealy were the only MLAs to vote against the motion on Thursday.
Independent Surrey-Cloverdale MLA Elenore Sturko said it was important for MLAs to express support for the Code, after a number of private members’ bills she says are “divisive.”
“We have to take unconventional approaches to rejecting hateful rhetoric in this place,” said Sturko.
Government House Leader Mike Farnworth on Wednesday seemed to reject the idea of bringing a censure motion against Armstrong. He noted constituents can start the process to recall an MLA as of April 20, which will mark 18 months since the October 2024 election.
B.C. Green MLA Rob Botterell has said his party members are “actively” considering a censure motion.
Armstrong said Thursday she will not resign.
“I’m going to keep doing the work I have set out to do, and I’m not going to be intimidated by people that come after me by doing that work,” she said.
