Share this Story : National Post Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr

Geoff Russ: Reconciliation politics driving B.C. Conservative race without apology

Most of those running to be the next leader are speaking to issues that are central to their base — and the province

You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.

In the B.C. Conservative leadership race, one candidate has managed to turn his campaign around by embracing the culture war he once scorned.

Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.

Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.

Unlimited online access to National Post.

National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.

Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.

Support local journalism.

Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.

Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.

Unlimited online access to National Post.

National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.

Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.

Support local journalism.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Access articles from across Canada with one account.

Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.

Enjoy additional articles per month.

Get email updates from your favourite authors.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Access articles from across Canada with one account

Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments

Enjoy additional articles per month

Get email updates from your favourite authors

Sign In or Create an Account

Back in February, B.C. Conservative leadership candidate Yuri Fulmer made the mistake of warning the party faithful to “zip it” on their “pet projects” and forget the culture wars, so the focus could remain on the cost of living.

Geoff Russ: Reconciliation politics driving B.C. Conservative race without apology Back to video

The response to Fulmer’s statement was brutal. Federal Conservative MP Aaron Gunn, who’s never been afraid to tackle thorny issues, called Fulmer a “horrible candidate.” After launching a torpedo into his own campaign, Fulmer remarkably managed to repair most of the damage, if not all.

This newsletter from NP Comment tackles the topics you care about. (Subscriber-exclusive edition on Fridays)

There was an error, please provide a valid email address.

By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.

A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.

The next issue of Platformed will soon be in your inbox.

We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again

Interested in more newsletters? Browse here.

During the first, unsanctioned debate in the leadership race earlier this month, Fulmer pledged to fight the NDP on property rights, LGBT policy and Indigenous affairs, to great applause from the audience — and rightfully so. Polling in the leadership race suggests a tight race, but Fulmer’s momentum has recovered, and he should be considered a leading contender.

All in all, Fulmer’s February gaffe is ancient history. He has even made amends with Gunn.

The culture war, although dismissed by progressives (who are largely winning it), has been fundamental to the rise of the B.C. Conservatives. Without a doubt, pocketbook issues played an enormous role, too. But the party’s base is determined to carve out a place in B.C. politics that does not require adopting left-wing vocabulary and frameworks.

Politics is more than accounting. The arguments over belonging, education and the moral assumptions embodied by the state are deeply meaningful and powerful political issues. Land rights, land usage and Aboriginal title are the biggest issues in the province right now, and are all fronts in the culture war.

Geoff Russ: B.C. Conservative leadership candidate torpedoes his campaign by brushing off culture war

Caroline Elliott: To truly fix B.C., we need to pull the NDP’s radical ideology out by its roots

Advertisement 1Story continues belowThis advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.document.addEventListener(`DOMContentLoaded`,function(){let template=document.getElementById(`oop-ad-template`);if(template&&!template.dataset.adInjected){let clone=template.content.cloneNode(!0);template.replaceWith(clone),template.parentElement&&(template.parentElement.dataset.adInjected=`true`)}});

The Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA) is arbitrarily reshaping British Columbia by turning over massive amounts of political and economic authority to First Nations governments that are unaccountable to the majority of non-Indigenous British Columbians. It was midwifed with terms like “reconciliation,” “decolonization” and “land back.” Pretending that DRIPA and this left-wing vocabulary are unrelated is flagrantly dishonest.

Other B.C. Conservative leadership candidates, like Iain Black and Caroline Elliott, have not shied away from the culture war, either.

Elliott has promised to not only scrap DRIPA, but to eliminate “land back” policies, stop using diversity, equity and inclusion in government hiring, take sexual orientation and gender identity out of the school system, put an end to land acknowledgements in public institutions and defend B.C. identity and history.

Toronto police seize 'SMS blasters,' a cybercrime weapon never before seen in Canada Canada

Toronto police seize 'SMS blasters,' a cybercrime weapon never before seen in Canada

Trump unharmed after man armed with guns and knives storms White House Correspondents' Dinner World

Trump unharmed after man armed with guns and knives storms White House Correspondents' Dinner

Advertisement 2Story continues belowThis advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.document.addEventListener(`DOMContentLoaded`,function(){let template=document.getElementById(`oop-ad-template`);if(template&&!template.dataset.adInjected){let clone=template.content.cloneNode(!0);template.replaceWith(clone),template.parentElement&&(template.parentElement.dataset.adInjected=`true`)}});

Opinion: Aboriginal title cases should take into account the taxpayer money paid to First Nations NP Comment

Opinion: Aboriginal title cases should take into account the taxpayer money paid to First Nations

Barbara Kay: Trans activist files human rights complaints against media for failing to deny reality NP Comment

Barbara Kay: Trans activist files human rights complaints against media for failing to deny reality

Full list of airlines cancelling flights worldwide as jet fuel crisis continues Canada

Full list of airlines cancelling flights worldwide as jet fuel crisis continues

Elliott has also promised to rebuild fallen statues of historical figures like the explorer James Cook, and called out NDP Premier David Eby for calling B.C. a “colonial mistake.”

Meanwhile, Black has said that British Columbians are becoming “strangers” in their own province.

According to Black, this is not only due to the B.C.’s deteriorating fiscal situation and imploding economy that is driving out the province’s youth, but also the cultural shift towards an anti-B.C. ideology in education and government.

Black has attacked the provincial curriculum, which teaches children that they are “settlers” and “colonizers.” These are both pejorative terms and racial in their intention, no matter how many academics and activists pretend as though that is not the case. Furthermore, he has proposed building a 10-lane bridge and calling it the “Sir John A. Macdonald Gateway.”

Fulmer himself has proposed a “B.C. Freedom Charter,” packed with promises to protect property rights, repeal DRIPA, ban compelled speech, bar mandatory digital IDs, guarantee religious freedom and defend a “right to roam” against closures and gates on the same Crown land that is being parcelled out to First Nations.

One thing is certain: this leadership election is not being fought on pocketbook issues. During the first debate, Fulmer said of DRIPA: “If this is not the biggest issue of our lifetimes, I don’t know what is.”

The glaring exception in the race is Peter Milobar, by far the most moderate of the candidates. While he has promised to repeal DRIPA, he has not gone any further. With a campaign slogan of “Rebuilding Trust in Government,” his platform emphasizes accountability, affordability, health care and safe communities, while affirming First Nations’ constitutional rights.

Compared with Elliott’s plan for ideological rollback, Black’s championing of Canadian symbolism and Fulmer’s Freedom Charter, Milobar feels like a throwback to the B.C. Liberal era of managerialism and non-ideology.

Complicating matters for Milobar was his former leadership campaign manager, who was suspected to have been behind a sabotage campaign targeting the B.C. Conservatives during the 2024 provincial election, on behalf of B.C. United (the ill-fatedly renamed B.C. Liberals).

The B.C. Conservative base will not stand for a return to the limp, business-first ideology of the old provincial Liberal party and those who try to revive it from the dead. They want a Conservative party, by and for conservatives, to offer a modern, sharp alternative to the NDP on the economy, culture and identity.

Nothing short of that will do.

Disclosure: Caroline Elliott is a friend and her and I are among the founders of the Without Diminishment Substack, which she is currently on leave from.

Share this Story : National Post Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.

Three Canadian destinations rank among the world’s best new hotels A historic hideaway, mountain escape and glamping retreat earn recognition on Travel + Leisure's annual It List 21 hours ago Travel

Three Canadian destinations rank among the world’s best new hotels

A historic hideaway, mountain escape and glamping retreat earn recognition on Travel + Leisure's annual It List

This portable projector will transform your home movie nights The portability, sound and picture quality make this better than any TV I’ve owned 1 day ago Tech

This portable projector will transform your home movie nights

The portability, sound and picture quality make this better than any TV I’ve owned

WestJet raises baggage fees again as airline costs climb Checking a bag just got pricier as the Calgary-based carrier follows Air Canada with another fee hike 1 day ago Travel Canada

WestJet raises baggage fees again as airline costs climb

Checking a bag just got pricier as the Calgary-based carrier follows Air Canada with another fee hike

Advertisement 3Story continues belowThis advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.document.addEventListener(`DOMContentLoaded`,function(){let template=document.getElementById(`oop-ad-template`);if(template&&!template.dataset.adInjected){let clone=template.content.cloneNode(!0);template.replaceWith(clone),template.parentElement&&(template.parentElement.dataset.adInjected=`true`)}});

Vancouver fashion designer wins big at Canadian awards Tsawwassen-based designer received the inaugural Indigenous Fashion Award 1 day ago Fashion & Beauty

Vancouver fashion designer wins big at Canadian awards

Tsawwassen-based designer received the inaugural Indigenous Fashion Award

Tim Hortons just dropped new Timbits flavours across Canada — and a bucket to go with them Timbits, anyone? 1 day ago Food & Drinks

Tim Hortons just dropped new Timbits flavours across Canada — and a bucket to go with them

© National Post