B.C. Conservative leader kicks Dallas Brodie out of caucus for ‘mocking’ residential school testimony

WARNING: This story contains details of experiences at residential schools.

The B.C. Conservative Party has removed MLA Dallas Brodie from its caucus.

Leader John Rustad says the decision was made after Brodie “challenged” the party on Thursday. 

“On Thursday, Brodie challenged the Conservative Party of B.C. caucus to fire her — including by asking Conservative MLAs to have a vote on removing her — and made the decision to walk out of the Conservative Party of BC caucus room,” Rustad said in a statement.

“As a result of her decision to publicly mock and belittle testimony from former residential school students, including by mimicking individuals recounting stories of abuses — including child sex abuse, MLA Brodie is not welcome to return to our Conservative Party of B.C. Caucus.”

Rustad said  the decision was not based on Brodie’s earlier statements surrounding the number of bodies found at the Kamloops Indian Residential School site but instead about “an elected MLA using her position of authority to mock testimony of survivors of abuse, including child sex abuse.”

He said Brodie had recently appeared on a podcast where, he said, she “uses a mocking, child-like voice to belittle testimony from former residential school students, saying things like ‘my grandmother’s truth’ and ‘my truth, your truth’ in a child-like ‘whining’ voice.”

“The privilege, and platform, of being a Conservative MLA comes with an expectation and responsibility to do the right thing — mocking former residential school students giving testimony, including testimony about child sex abuse by pedophiles, is beyond the pale.”

Weeks of tension

Brodie’s public statement on residential schools have been a source of tension in the party for several weeks.

In February, she made a post on X focused on the Kamloops Indian Residential School site.

“The number of confirmed child burials at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School site is zero. Zero. No one should be afraid of the truth. Not lawyers, their governing bodies or anyone else,” she said in the post.

In 2021, the federally-appointed Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada released a report into the schools after six years of testimony received from more than 6,000 attendees across the country.

It found that more than 4,100 children had died while attending these schools, most due to malnourishment or disease.

It also heard testimony that many of the children who attended the schools were physically, sexually or psychologically abused, ultimately characterizing the system as a “cultural genocide.”

Later that year, in May 2021, the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation said ground penetrating radar provided “confirmation of the remains of 215 children” at the school site but revised its language in July 2021 to describe the finding as “potential burial sites.” The First Nation changed the wording last year to “anomalies.” 

Brodie said at the time that she wasn’t denying the impact of residential schools but wanted to be precise about the findings at the Kamloops site.

“The stand I’m taking is rooted in the need for truth. And I don’t think standing for truth takes away anything from the severity of what happened at the residential schools,” she told reporters in the legislature in February. “I’m a lawyer. I believe in evidence, truth and pursuit of truth, and I think lawyers should be allowed to ask questions.” 

She received pushback for her stance from a fellow party member and the party’s House leader, A’aliyah Warbus, a member of the Sto:lo Nation.

“Inform yourself, get the latest facts, research, AND talk to survivors. Questioning the narratives of people who lived and survived these atrocities is nothing but harmful and taking us backward in reconciliation,” Warbus posted.

Conservative Leader John Rustad said at the time that he had asked Brodie to take the post down but she refused.

He also said on more than one occasion that there was room in the party for disagreement.

However, things came to a head after Brodie’s appearance on a YouTube video discussion with Frances Widdowson, a former Mount Royal University professor who came under fire for saying that there were educational benefits to Canada’s residential school system.

Speaking in the video, Brodie told Widdowson that “the most vociferous hatred” she’s received in response to her social media post has been from within her own party. 

“There’s a person in our party who is Indigenous, and she was super angry and went to town and joined the NDP to call me out. We’ve actually brought in some people who — I’m just going to say this — belong in the NDP.” 

She also made the statements referenced by Rustad in his reasoning for removing her from the party.

“I do know, if we don’t have truth — not his truth, her truth, oh, my grandmother’s truth,” she said before raising the pitch of her voice, to say “My truth, and your truth, oh my truth.”

Rustad said it was these comments that went over the line.

“I believe strongly in free speech,” he said.” However, using your stature and platform as an MLA to mock testimony from victims alleging abuse, including child sex abuse, is where I draw the line.”

A national 24-hour Indian Residential School Crisis Line is available at 1-866-925-4419 for emotional and crisis referral services for survivors and those affected. 

Mental health counselling and crisis support are also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week through the Hope for Wellness hotline at 1-855-242-3310 or by online chat.