THE NDP noted on Monday that on April 29, BC Conservative MLA Heather Maahs hosted a reception at the BC Legislature for the Association for Reformed Political Action (ARPA), an organization which believes homosexuality is “immoral,” abortion should be criminalized, and conversion therapy bans should be reversed.

BC Conservative MLA Elenore Sturko criticized John Rustad and her caucus for hosting a group that “actively works against the rights of other British Columbians…”

Sturko told media she is upset her colleagues hosted an extreme social conservative group at the legislature opposes same sex marriage, abortion and gender affirming care for trans youth.

During her introduction to the event, “pro-life” MLA Heather Maahs praised ARPA and highlighted their longstanding alignment with the views of the BC Conservative Party:

“Many of their stances align with our common sense approach as the Conservative Party of B.C. They defend parental rights, they speak for the protection of life and harm created by MAID, and for the division created by the learning resource SOGI 123 in our public schools.”

A majority of BC Conservative Caucus members, including John Rustad, attended the reception:

• John Rustad (Nechako Lakes)

• Misty Van Popta (Langley-Walnut Grove)

• Reann Gasper (Abbotsford-Mission)

• Heather Maahs (Chilliwack North)

• Sharon Hartwell (Bulkley Valley-Stikine)

• Macklin McCall (West Kelowna-Peachland)

• Kristina Loewen (Kelowna Centre)

• Anna Kindy (North Island)

• Lynne Block (West Vancouver-Capilano)

• Korky Neufeld (Abbotsford West)

• Sheldon Clare (Prince George-North Cariboo)

• Amelia Boultbee (Penticton-Summerland)

• Tony Luck (Fraser-Nicola)

• Kiel Giddens (Prince George-Mackenzie)

• Donegal Wilson (Boundary-Similkameen)

• Harman Bhangu (Langley-Abbotsford)

• Jody Toor (Langley-Willowbrook)

• Pete Davis (Kootenay East)

• Bryan Tepper (Surrey-Panorama)

• Rosalyn Bird (Prince George-Valemount)

• Trevor Halford (Surrey-White Rock)

The NDP said that Rustad and the BC Conservative Party have a long history of condoning attacks on reproductive and human rights.

NDP MLA Jennifer Blatherwick said: “At a time when we’re seeing Donald Trump stripping people’s rights away in the U.S., it’s disturbing to see John Rustad officially recognizing a group that wants to roll back reproductive rights and believes LGBTQ people are fundamentally immoral. I am glad Elenore Sturko is calling out the discriminatory beliefs of this group. We stand with her in condemning John Rustad for making space for these backwards views her party has tolerated for too long.”

Later, Penticton-Summerland MLA Amelia Boultbee joined Sturko in condemning the BC Conservative organized reception.

In a statement posted on Twitter/X, Boultbee called out Heather Maahs and rejected her statement that ARPA’s values were aligned with the BC Conservative Party, saying:

“Heather Maahs doesn’t speak for me. I myself, a Christian, believe all British Columbians should have the same civil rights whether you’re gay or straight.

“ARPA espouses positions myself and the majority of my constituents reject.

“I wouldn’t willingly be caught dead with them in public and I believe it’s an error they were allowed in the Hall of Honour at the legislature.

“I will continue to represent all my constituents regardless of what some members of my caucus associate themselves with.”

Blatherwick said: “We support Amelia Boultbee and Elenore Sturko in calling out views their party has long stood by. Now it is time for John Rustad and Heather Maahs to apologize for hosting Trump-style extremist social views in the BC Legislature.”