THE NDP must be beside themselves with glee at the news that as many as 13 B.C. Conservative MLAs had fired off a letter last month to their party leader John Rustad attacking fellow MLA Elenore Sturko (Surrey-Cloverdale) for ‘endorsing’ the resignation of Vancouver Police Board Vice Chair Comfort Sakoma-Fadugba because of remarks she had made on social media.

One of Sakoma-Fadugba’s posts had criticized Diwali celebrations at schools. She wrote that the “push for secular education isn’t about religion — it’s about erasing Christian values from the lives of our children.”

According to CBC, “in screenshots shared to Reddit, one of Sakoma-Fadugba’s posts discusses how “mass immigration” and “a growing aversion to assimilation” are “transforming Canada into a place where a shared identity is disappearing.””

The MLAs asked Rustad to “invite” Sturko to send a written apology to Sakoma-Fadugba and “encourage the Vancouver Police Board to advance conciliatory discussions with Ms. Sakoma.”

They added that if Sturko refused to apologize, then Rustad should “offer this apology and encouragement on behalf of the Conservative caucus.”

The MLAs who signed the letter are Tara Armstrong, Rosalyn Bird, Dallas Brodie, Brent Chapman, Reann Gasper, Sharon Hartwell, Jordan Kealy, Anna Kindy, Kristina Loewen, Heather Maahs, Macklin McCall, Korky Neufeld and Ward Stamer.

Incidentally, Chapman, the husband of South Surrey-White Rock Conservative MP Kerry-Lynne Findlay, was severely criticized for his racist comments and conspiracy theories during the election campaign.

Keith Baldrey had reported on CKNW that before Sturko defected to the BC Conservatives, she had called Chapman “an extremist,” and a “QAnon conspiracy theorist.”

The party’s president, Aisha Estey, had tweeted her support for Sakoma-Fadugba: “Cancel culture is alive and well at the Vancouver Police Board. She should never have resigned and shame on those who pressured her to do it.”

Here is the MLAs’ letter:

As you know, news broke on November 23rd that Ms. Comfort Sakoma had been forced to resign her position as the Vice Chair of the Vancouver Police Board over social media posts. The posts express views many Conservatives (including Conservative MLAs and staff) hold in support for parental rights, religious faith, and the pursuit of shared Canadian values.

Under your leadership, the Conservative Party of BC has consistently denounced “cancel culture” and stood for the Charter rights British Columbians enjoy to free expression and freedom of religion. The very first question you raised in the Legislature as leader was in defense of parental rights.

We were therefore dismayed to learn that in an interview with CBC news, Ms. Sturko endorsed the resignation on the basis that these views were “offensive” and undermined trust in police.

There are unanswered questions regarding the extent to which Ms. Sturko’s statements were vetted in advance by senior staff. But regardless of any procedural issues, it is our view that the statements caused undue harm to Ms. Sakoma and called into question our commitment to the core values shared by Conservatives.

To restore confidence in this core values, we ask that:

1. You invite Ms. Sturko to offer the Ms. Sakoma a written apology and to encourage the Vancouver Police Board to advance conciliatory discussions with Ms. Sakoma.
2. If Ms. Sturko declines your invitation, we ask that you offer this apology and encouragement on behalf of the Conservative caucus.

We request that the matter be placed on the agenda for the next caucus meeting. Please consider discussing the matter with Ms. Sturko as soon as possible as there may be an opportunity to take the actions requested above, or preliminary steps such as gathering information or reaching out to Ms. Sakoma, prior to this upcoming meeting with caucus.

We trust you will continue to demonstrate the principled leadership that has inspired British Columbians from every walk of life to unite behind the Conservative Party of BC.