BC Conservative Candidate Faces Backlash Over Past Offensive Remarks

In recent developments, a British Columbia Conservative candidate has come under scrutiny following the resurfacing of an offensive comment made online several years ago. Brent Chapman, now representing Surrey South, made derogatory comments about Palestinians on Facebook in 2015, referring to them as “little inbred walking talking breathing time bombs.”

Late Wednesday night, Chapman formally apologized for his comments, stating in a public message: “The language I used and the sentiments I expressed at that time towards Palestinians and members of the Islamic faith were completely unacceptable. They do not reflect who I am today or the respect and admiration I hold for the Palestinian and Muslim communities.” He also offered his “sincerest apologies to everyone hurt by [his] past words.”

Prior to Chapman’s apology, the Conservative Leader, John Rustad, had expressed his intention to address the issue. Rustad stated he would ask Chapman to apologize and emphasized that such comments are not in line with the party’s values. However, Rustad clarified he would not ask Chapman to resign, saying, “As I said, he should apologize for those comments.”

The National Council of Canadian Muslims responded to the incident by acknowledging Chapman’s apologies made both privately and publicly. “In a series of conversations with Mr. Chapman, we heard an apology detailing the steps he has taken to widen his understanding of Muslim and Palestinian people,” they stated. The Council added that they would evaluate the sincerity of the apology based on future actions by Chapman and the BC Conservative party’s efforts to combat Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian sentiments.

NDP Leader David Eby also commented on the situation, describing Chapman’s past remarks as “criminal hate speech,” while noting that legal prosecution is not possible due to the time elapsed since the initial posting. Eby argued that a candidate involved in such speech should be dismissed from their position.

Chapman’s remarks were first brought back into the spotlight by radio host and former BC Liberal MLA Jas Johal on the platform X, previously known as Twitter.

In related political news, advanced voting for the upcoming provincial election began on Thursday, with polls open at 343 locations across the province. Elections BC reports that voting will take place from October 10 to 13, and again on October 15 and 16. The use of electronic tabulators is expected to expedite the process, with final results anticipated on election day, October 19.