I’m proud to have introduced the Fairness in Women’s and Girls’ Sports Act, a first in Canada.

Unfortunately BC’s NDP government voted against it and killed the bill.

Conservative Party of BC supports the rights of women to be treated fairly. #bcpoli pic.twitter.com/wAzrN10e8t

— John Rustad (@JohnRustad4BC) April 30, 2024

Here is exactly what happened.
 

Shortly after 10 am on April 30, 2024 BC Conservative leader John Rustad rose in the legislature to introduce a number of prominent Canadian women athletes who were present in the visitor’s gallery that day. The following is an excerpt from the official Hansard record of the legislature.

J. Rustad: I have a number of introductions. Due to the length of accolades of all these, I won’t mention all of them and their accolades, but I do want to highlight a few.

To start with, April Hutchinson has become one of the few outspoken Canadian athletes advocating for women’s safety and fairness in competition. In her pursuit of justice, she finds herself currently suspended from the Canadian Powerlifting Union for daring to speak out. Undeterred, she continues to fight, with the support of countless female athletes who share her belief in fair sport. Today happens to also be her birthday.

Also with her is Dr. Linda Blade. Dr. Linda Blade is a former Canadian track and field champion and NCAA All-American athlete. She’s grateful to the province of British Columbia for the many years of service granted to her as a high school champion in track and field in the late ’70s and later, as a national and international athlete who represented Canada throughout the 1980s.

The province of B.C. contributed substantially to her development as a sports scientist and coach as she earned a PhD in kinesiology at Simon Fraser University. All that funded learning and experience of both human biology and high-performance sports solidified her understanding of the fundamental truth that males and females are distinct in both form and of all ages.

Also with us is Kathleen Thomas, as well as Connie Polman Tuin and Maria Barwig, who is a mother and strongman competitor.

Laura Allan served in the Canadian Armed Forces for 15 years, dedicating a decade of her service to operating on submarines. She played a critical role in advancing the integration of women in submarine roles. In recognition of her pioneering efforts and dedication, the Canadian Armed Forces featured her in an article celebrating Women’s History Month, highlighting her as a trail-blazer and a source of inspiration.

With her as well is Megan Chandler. Megan is a 15-year-old softball player. She has been working hard to earn a female scholarship to university. She wants to see equal opportunity for biological women and girls in sports.

I’ve just got three more, if I may.

Lily Woodruff is a 15-year-old competitive rugby and baseball player. She has played A-ball for several years, won provincials and nationals in 2022, and competed in the Little League World Series. She wants a female scholarship to university.

Paige Hunter is a seasoned competitor in Olympic weightlifting.

Sophie Paridaen van Veen is assistant head coach for the Duncan Stingrays swim team and is also a competitive powerlifter.

Finally, Karen Strong is an Olympic coach from Duncan, B.C.

Would the House please make them all welcome.

These women were warmly received by those MLAs present in the legislature. A few minutes later, when the time came for the introduction of new bills into the legislature, John Rustad rose in his place and introduced his legislation.


* Photo by April Hutchison on X

BILL M214 — FAIRNESS IN WOMEN’S AND GIRLS’ SPORTS ACT

J. Rustad presented a bill entitled Fairness in Women’s and Girls’ Sports Act.

J. Rustad: I move a bill intituled Fairness in Women’s and Girls’ Sports Act, of which notice has been given in my name on the order paper, be introduced and read a first time now.

It’s an honour to stand in this House to introduce the Fairness in Women’s and Girls’ Sports Act. I’m proud to say before this House, the amazing women and girls who are here with us today, that this piece of legislation is not only the first of its kind in Canada, but it was an entirely female-led initiative from start to finish. The bill was written by women and girls for women and girls. [10:30 a.m.]

This bill provides that sports and athletic teams and events and tournaments that are publicly funded must be classified by sex and limits participation to participants of the biological sex that corresponds to the sex classification. An exception is provided for female participation.

Maintaining opportunities for female athletes to demonstrate the strength, skills and athletic abilities and providing them with the opportunity to obtain recognition and accolades, university scholarships and numerous other short- and long-term benefits that result from participating and competing in athletic endeavours in the province of British Columbia separate from their male counterparts is just common sense.

There are inherent differences between males and females, ranging from chromosomal and hormonal differences to physiological differences. But more than the obvious differences….

Over time, women and girls have struggled to be identified as a person. They have struggled to have the right to vote, they have struggled to be allowed to be in certain places, and they have struggled to be paid fairly.

Here today, in 2024, in this Legislature, the necessity to move forward the bill is to make sure that, once again, women are treated fairly. For these reasons, the Conservative Party of British Columbia finds that requiring the designation of separate sex-specific athlete teams or sports is vital in order to maintain the fairness for women and girls’ athletic opportunities in British Columbia.

I would urge all members of this House to vote in support of this legislation. We all deserve to live our lives with integrity.

 

It seems that around the time that the BC Conservative leader was speaking, his party issued the following news release to the public, a news release which additional testimony in favour of Rustad’s Bill M214.

As this was merely the introductory “first reading” of the bill, there was no other debate. Usually, at first reading, the bill is supported by all parties and then, some days or weeks later, at “second reading” there is a more substantial debate with speakers on both sides of the issue. Instead, at this first reading, the superwoke BC NDP government used its majority to defeat the bill before there was any chance for the legislature to debate the important issues contained in Rustad’s bill. When the NDP said “NAY” in the “voice vote,” the Speaker called for a “recorded vote” and here are the results.

 

The Speaker: Members, the question is first reading of the bill.

Division has been called.

Is there an agreement to waive the time?

Leave not granted.

[10:35 a.m. - 10:40 a.m.]

First reading of Bill M214, Fairness in Women’s and Girls’ Sports Act, negatived on the following division:

YEAS — 27
de Jong	Doerkson	Milobar
Stone	Falcon	Bond
Halford	Ross	Oakes
Bernier	Davies	Rustad
Banman	Morris	Kyllo
Shypitka	Sturko	Merrifield
Wat	Lee	Kirkpatrick
Stewart	Clovechok	Ashton
Sturdy	Letnick	Tegart
NAYS — 51
Chandra Herbert	Parmar	A. Singh
Babchuk	Coulter	Lore
Chow	Beare	Kang
Heyman	Osborne	Cullen
Bains	Malcolmson	Bailey
Brar	Routledge	Starchuk
Phillip	Yao	Leonard
R. Singh	Whiteside	Farnworth
Kahlon	Conroy	Sharma
Dix	Fleming	Dean
Rankin	Ralston	Alexis
Sims	Simons	Elmore
Glumac	Routley	Furstenau
Olsen	D’Eith	Donnelly
Greene	Anderson	Chant
Dykeman	Paddon	Begg
Walker	Robinson	Chen

 

[10:45 a.m.]

All of the 27 MLA's who voted in favour of Rustad's bill were from either the BC Conservatives or the BC United party. It was the 51 NDP MLAs who were present in the legislature that morning who voted to kill this important legislation.

Though Rustad generously acknowledged that “The bill was written by women and girls for women and girls,” he surely deserves much credit not only for introducing the bill into the legislature, but also for shaming the woke BC United Liberals in the legislature to also vote for his bill.  

As Rustad noted in his tweet, reposted above, “Unfortunately BC’s NDP government voted against it and killed the bill” and that the “Conservative Party of BC supports the rights of women to be treated fairly.”

Image source: April Hutchinson