BC Conservative Leader John Rustad on Friday removed Vancouver-Quilchena MLA Dallas Brodie from caucus over her residential school comments. Rustad said: “This is about an elected MLA using her position of authority to mock testimony of survivors of abuse, including child sex abuse.”

Following Brodie’s ouster, BC Conservative MLAs Jordan Kealy of Peace River South and Tara Armstrong of Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream announced on Facebook that they were leaving the party.

Kealy said in his statement on Facebook: “This is just the start of a new path and a new party that respects Conservative values!!!”

Attorney General Niki Sharma said in a statement: “What Dallas Brodie was putting residential school survivors through was abhorrent.

“It is deeply unfortunate that John Rustad failed to act for two weeks after her initial comment, and again yesterday even after she mocked residential school survivors and attacked members of his own caucus.

“Although he tolerated Brodie’s behaviour for far too long, it is a relief to see John Rustad finally act. Standing up to Brodie and the BC Conservative MLAs who supported her was the right thing to do.

“We disagree with John Rustad on many things. But it’s encouraging that we do agree that Dallas Brodie’s hurtful comments should have no place in our respective political parties.”