BC Conservative MLAs vote against motion to condemn Trump tariffs
VICTORIA – After John Rustad spent weeks opposing retaliation against Donald Trump’s tariffs, last night five of his MLAs voted against a motion to condemn Trump’s unjustified attack on Canada’s sovereignty.
Dallas Brodie, Heather Maahs, Jordan Kealy, Tara Armstrong and Brent Chapman all voted against the motion. Harman Bhangu, who had spoken against the motion earlier in the day, skipped the vote.
Armstrong has claimed the BC NDP “brought the tariff threat upon us in the first place.” Maahs has said “Eby needs to comply” with Trump.
All five were members of the “cancel caucus” who wrote a letter attacking their colleague Elenore Sturko.
Earlier on Monday, Rustad reiterated his criticisms of retaliatory action such as removing US liquor from store shelves. He has previously said “retaliatory tariffs will only invite more problems coming from the President” and called the plan to target Republican states “dangerous and irresponsible” and “cross-border political interference.”
BC NDP MLA Jennifer Blatherwick:
“Regardless of how John Rustad and his MLAs voted on this motion, their opposition to retaliatory action against Donald Trump has been consistent and clear. They can’t hide their position to respond to Trump’s tariffs with weakness instead of strength. Canadians expect their leaders to stand up to Donald Trump with a tough and strategic approach and that is exactly what we will continue to do.”
Text of the motion is available here.