On October 1, 2023, BC Conservative Leader made some controversial remarks about SOGI.

CTV NEWS VANCOUVER ran this story, with the title “B.C. Conservative Party leader faces criticism” and the subheading “John Rustad is under fire for comparing the horrors of residential schools with SOGI curriculum in B.C. schools.” This video is 2:32 minutes in duration and was posted online at 9:39 pm EDT on October 1, 2023.

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/video/c2778086-b-c--conservative-party-leader-faces-criticism

Here is a transcript of that video:

CTV broadcaster: The leader of the BC Conservative Party is under fire tonight for comparing the horrors of residential schools with the “Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity” curriculums in BC schools. John Rustad is being attacked from all sides, but he isn’t apologizing. He’s doubling down. Our Penny Daflos explains. Penny Daflos: As British Columbians were observing the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation…

UNKNOWN: … witnessing and getting educated … Daflos: … and indigenous leaders lauded the supportive atmosphere …

UNKNOWN WOMAN: …. INAUDIBLE here and I see these shirts it is so hard …

Daflos: BC Conservative Leader John Rustad posted it was a day to “remember what happens when the Canadian government thinks it’s better at raising children than parents.”


Wilson Williams, Squamish First Nation Councillor: Just when you think we took three steps forward we maybe took a half step forward, or a full step forward and a half step back.

Daflos: Linking the abuse and deaths at residential schools with the “Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity” curriculum of today would have been controversial regardless, but to make that comment on September 30 …

Williams: I feel for the ones that are really the survivors that we still have with us today, and, you know… this is a day where I hope they’re not on social media. The insensitivity of it is hurtful.

Daflos: Other politicians are denouncing the sentiment and timing…

Ravie Parma (NDP MLA for Langford / Juan de Fuca): …[Rustad’s] just looking for clicks and for Likes and retweets…

Elenore Sturko MLA (“BC United Education Critic”): … some kind of a ‘dog whistle’ to gain political support …

John Rustad: When I looked at ‘orange shirt day’ it founded in taking away parents rights – indigenous parents’ rights to raise their children. The government believed that they knew better.

Daflos: Rustad isn’t backing down. He’s distancing himself from the contentious anti-SOGI rallies and insists he’s NOT stoking anti-trans or homophobic sentiment.

Rustad: When you look at our history, I mean, it’s absolutely tragic. You think that people that have – that were trans or gay, that had that lifestyle – were thrown in jail. …

Daflos: I don’t think that people would call that a lifestyle, though…

Rustad: It’s no lifestyle, though, it’s who they are as individuals. But they were thrown in jail. They were persecuted for who they were. That’s wrong.

Elenore Sturko MLA: We have every other day of the year to politicize our views, to talk about other subjects…

Daflos: Whether you agree with him or not, expect to be hearing more from Rustad….

Ravie Parma: If this is the type of stuff that he’s planning on doing now, as leader of the Conservative Party in the BC Legislature, we’re going to be in for a rough ride.

Daflos: The fall session starts in two weeks and the BC Conservatives will now enjoy “official party status”.