BC NDP candidates are using leaked opposition research compiled by BC United to target their Conservative rivals over old social media posts.Members of Premier David Eby's party have zeroed in on those who pushed claims about American politics and the January 6 riot, though the document covered much more than that.BC Conservative Party leader John Rustad dismissed the attacks, urging voters to focus on the real issues."I will match our candidates with the NDP any day or the week," he told the Western Standard. "Their candidates have delivered massive drug problems, collapsing healthcare, a crisis in our resource sector and so many more problems. Rampant crime is everywhere under a premier who literally wrote a book on how to sue the police. 1 in 3 are considering leaving BC under David Eby. Common sense change can't come soon enough."He also pointed out that "close to half of their cabinet has quit," suggesting Eby "clearly has no confidence in his back bench or he would have done a cabinet shuffle."The Western Standard obtained a copy of the research, which was initially uploaded to Scribd by radio host and former MLA Jas Johal. Among the topics the party focused on were crime, reproductive rights, conspiracies & extremism, misogynistic or weird, racism or racial insensitivity, antisemitism & Holocaust comparisons, climate change & environment, medical quackery, and crazy views on US politics.It was revealed that Cowichan Valley candidate John Kourym and Stikine candidate Sharon Hartwell shared posts claiming Donald Trump had actually won the 2020 election. Also filed was a picture of Abbotsford South candidate Bruce Banman wearing a MAGA hat. Others suggested the media had pushed a "fake narrative" about the January 6 riot, and that Dr. Anthony Fauci should be jailed.A number of candidates made claims related to the COVID-19 pandemic, with many doubting the efficacy of vaccines, touting alternative care, or calling for those in power to be held accountable for a variety of alleged crimes.While some of the posts in question could be viewed as potentially problematic, most were benign and representative of commonly-held beliefs. Langley-Abbotsford candidate and Conservative Party vice president Harman Bhangu, for example, was flagged for being a "firm believer in a traditional family household," not wanting his children exposed to sexual material at school, and suggesting that we as a society "should be encouraging families."BC United also documented a post he made on Instagram in 2012 in which he referred to Hermannator beer as "liquid panty remover."."John Rustad's candidates are promoting two shocking pro-Trump conspiracies," NDP Langford-Highlands candidate Ravi Parmer wrote in a post on X. "They think the Jan. 6 insurrection was a hoax by Democrats to frame Trump, and that Biden stole the last election."He went on to include a number of posts documented in the report, and his thread was shared by numerous other NDP candidates.."John Rustad needs to confirm that he believes in elections," Abbotsford-Mission candidate Pam Alexis wrote, despite there being nothing in the research suggesting he supported any of the antidemocratic views promoted by those who stormed the capitol.Other users were quick to point out that for many British Columbians, candidates' views on American politics were not top of mind.."No one cares about this," Meghan Murphy replied. "They care about if they can buy groceries and have free speech and prevent their kids from being sterilized and not watch their towns and cities turn into fentanyl-induced walking dead sets."
BC NDP candidates are using leaked opposition research compiled by BC United to target their Conservative rivals over old social media posts.Members of Premier David Eby's party have zeroed in on those who pushed claims about American politics and the January 6 riot, though the document covered much more than that.BC Conservative Party leader John Rustad dismissed the attacks, urging voters to focus on the real issues."I will match our candidates with the NDP any day or the week," he told the Western Standard. "Their candidates have delivered massive drug problems, collapsing healthcare, a crisis in our resource sector and so many more problems. Rampant crime is everywhere under a premier who literally wrote a book on how to sue the police. 1 in 3 are considering leaving BC under David Eby. Common sense change can't come soon enough."He also pointed out that "close to half of their cabinet has quit," suggesting Eby "clearly has no confidence in his back bench or he would have done a cabinet shuffle."The Western Standard obtained a copy of the research, which was initially uploaded to Scribd by radio host and former MLA Jas Johal. Among the topics the party focused on were crime, reproductive rights, conspiracies & extremism, misogynistic or weird, racism or racial insensitivity, antisemitism & Holocaust comparisons, climate change & environment, medical quackery, and crazy views on US politics.It was revealed that Cowichan Valley candidate John Kourym and Stikine candidate Sharon Hartwell shared posts claiming Donald Trump had actually won the 2020 election. Also filed was a picture of Abbotsford South candidate Bruce Banman wearing a MAGA hat. Others suggested the media had pushed a "fake narrative" about the January 6 riot, and that Dr. Anthony Fauci should be jailed.A number of candidates made claims related to the COVID-19 pandemic, with many doubting the efficacy of vaccines, touting alternative care, or calling for those in power to be held accountable for a variety of alleged crimes.While some of the posts in question could be viewed as potentially problematic, most were benign and representative of commonly-held beliefs. Langley-Abbotsford candidate and Conservative Party vice president Harman Bhangu, for example, was flagged for being a "firm believer in a traditional family household," not wanting his children exposed to sexual material at school, and suggesting that we as a society "should be encouraging families."BC United also documented a post he made on Instagram in 2012 in which he referred to Hermannator beer as "liquid panty remover."."John Rustad's candidates are promoting two shocking pro-Trump conspiracies," NDP Langford-Highlands candidate Ravi Parmer wrote in a post on X. "They think the Jan. 6 insurrection was a hoax by Democrats to frame Trump, and that Biden stole the last election."He went on to include a number of posts documented in the report, and his thread was shared by numerous other NDP candidates.."John Rustad needs to confirm that he believes in elections," Abbotsford-Mission candidate Pam Alexis wrote, despite there being nothing in the research suggesting he supported any of the antidemocratic views promoted by those who stormed the capitol.Other users were quick to point out that for many British Columbians, candidates' views on American politics were not top of mind.."No one cares about this," Meghan Murphy replied. "They care about if they can buy groceries and have free speech and prevent their kids from being sterilized and not watch their towns and cities turn into fentanyl-induced walking dead sets."
