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"BC Conservative leader takes swipe at SOGI education program"
(Global News Hour at 6 BC) (Oct 3 2023, 4:32)
This video (4:32), while introduced by Global News Hour at 6 BC hosts Chris Gailus and Sophie Lui, is really a two-part video, with the first part being a 2 minute report by Global News reporter Richard Zussman and the second part being 2 minute commentary by Global political analyst Keith Baldrey. Both Zussman and Baldrey provide coverage of the incredible first day of the autumn sitting of the BC legislature, which also happens to be the first day that the BC Conservative Party appears as an officially recognized party in the legislature in over 50 years.
https://globalnews.ca/video/10003346/b-c-conservative-leader-takes-swipe-at-sogi-education-program
Part 1: “BC Legislature returns for fall sitting” by Global News reporter Richard Zussman, from the beginning to the 2:32 mark.
Here is a transcript of Zussman’s commentary, starting at the 19 second mark:
Zussman: Bubbling political tensions boiling over.
BC Conservative leader John Rustad, in the legislature: Parents are concerned about the sexualization of their children in this NDP government’s education system. Will the Minister admit that SOGI 1-2-3 has been divisive, an assault on parents’ rights, and a distraction?
Zussman: The Conservatives - now an official party in BC for the first time in more than 50 years. Leader John Rustad using his platform to take aim at SOGI 1-2-3, and calling for the province to get rid of it.
Rustad, in the legislature: There are thousands of people taking to the streets; there are thousands of people protesting at school board offices…
BC NDP Premier David Eby, in the legislature: To feed the fires of division in our province and bring culture war to British Columbia – it is not welcome…
Zussman: The protests Rustad mentions have been largely overshadowed by counter-events. Parents and educators supporting SOGI and the tools it provides the parents’ …understanding sexual education in classrooms. With the Premier’s response met with an unprecedented reaction: a standing ovation for the Premier, not just from his own party, but much of the BC United Caucus as well.
David Eby, in the legislature: He [Rustad] sees political advantage in picking on kids and families and teachers and schools that are just trying to do their best – for kids who are at risk of suicide, honourable chair. Shame on him! Choose another question!
Zussman: BC United has been struggling to gain momentum. Bruce Banman recently left the party to join the Conservatives, and the two parties are neck-and-neck in the polls for second place. Kevin Falcon, the party’s leader, trying to downplay the Conservative surge.
BC United leader Kevin Falcon, outdoors: The former colleagues of mine that now form the fledgling fourth party in the house are saying some things that are, you know, the kind of things, frankly, that I think disqualify you from being credibly leaders of government.
Conservative leader John Rustad, in the hallway of the legislature: You’ve got all three parties in the legislature fighting for the left side of the political spectrum. They have not – they’re not standing up for any other values, and on many issues, they’re taking the same tact. We are going to present something very different to the public…
Zussman: Rustad accomplishing ONE thing: getting the attention for his party that it so desperately seeks.
Part 2: “Fireworks in the BC Legislature.”
Global News analyst Keith Baldrey provides further political analysis to the events described by Richard Zussman, especially the standing ovation given to the NDP Premier by many members of the opposition BC United party. (2:32 to 4:32)
Global News Interviewer Chris Gailus: More from Keith Baldrey on that rare standing ovation for a premier by an opposition party. Keith, unfortunately, it wasn’t got on camera – for technical reasons – but you could … certainly hear the applause, which went on for more than 30 seconds. You sat in the House at that moment. What did you see?
Keith Baldrey: Yeah, quite an extraordinary spectacle. So, Hansard televisions cuts to the Speaker’s chair whenever anything weird goes on in the House, whether it be wild heckling or prolonged applause. In this case, about 30 seconds of a standing ovation. I’ve never seen a political opposition stand with the government and applaud a premier with a standing ovation – unless it’s some kind of motherhood issue, let alone a political dynamite issue like SOGI. But it’s interesting, sitting there, how this standing ovation developed, considering the key roles some of the BC United players played here or in this case did not play.
So, it started out with Elenore Sturko and Karin Kirkpatrick – the two MLAs in the BC Liberal … United … caucus leading the applause and standing and then the NDP standing. But those on the right there – you see them – Ellis Ross, from Skeena; Ben Stewart, from the Okanagan; Tom Shypitka, from the Kootenays – all BC United MLAs, declining to stand while their colleagues stood up and applauded en masse for David Eby. I talked to Ben Stewart afterwards. He said he wasn’t comfortable participating in this type of discussion. He says he still has a lot of unanswered questions about SOGI. He says parents do as well.
So, is this a schism between some members of BC United and their colleagues on an issue such as SOGI? Is this another example of an issue that is bound to exist between the BC United caucus and two of their former colleagues who either have been expelled or left voluntarily to join another part? This is just the first day – seven more weeks lie ahead. I have a feeling that we are going to see similar instances of drama like we say today, and, again, both the BC United and the BC Conservatives fighting for oxygen here and they’re fighting over the same pool over voters. Not clear which one of them is going to emerge victorious.
Gailus: Could be a dynamic session for sure. Keith – thanks very much.
Image source: Hansard TV
