B.C. Conservatives to attend debate hosted by media group that platforms white supremacy
NEW WESTMINSTER—B.C. Conservative leadership candidates will attend a debate tonight hosted by Juno News, an outlet that promotes the views of The Dominion Society and its founder Daniel Tyrie, whom former Alberta Premier Jason Kenney called “racist.”
Juno has published Tyrie, interviewed him, and defended his views. The Dominion Society’s mission is explicitly racist, and calls for a policy of mass deportation of 5 to 9 million people, including Canadian citizens and legal permanent residents.
Tyrie calls “visible minorities” in Surrey a “problem” and a threat to ”Canada’s unique identity”. He believes “Canada has always been a White majority country and it should stay that way.”
Jason Kenny called out Juno for hosting Tyrie: “Fear of limiting good faith debate should not prevent us [from] calling out real racism when we see it. Because racism, ie hatred for or unjust treatment of people because of their race or ethnicity, is immoral.
“Their core demand is ‘remigration,’ including ‘mass deportation’ of *millions* of permanent residents who were invited to immigrate to Canada legally, plus naturalized Canadian citizens, particularly those who are not ‘heritage Canadians.’ That’s obviously a euphemism for people of white European ancestry.”
The B.C. Conservative Party is funding Juno through advertisements to recruit new members. All candidates are attending tonight’s debate, except for Peter Milobar and Caroline Elliott, who was recently endorsed by Jason Kenny. Elliott was scheduled to attend but pulled out last week.
Jason Kenney is clear: “Daniel Tyrie is a racist. Racism is immoral. It is poison. It is not ‘vitality.’ It is not conservative.”
Premier Eby said in Kelowna today: “I’m incredibly disappointed that the Conservatives have chosen to hold a debate with a far right-wing news outlet that promotes white supremacy, white supremacist views. I’ll take a moment to recognize that Caroline Elliott has opted out of this debate. I think that’s the right decision. And I hope that the Conservatives as a whole will commit, if Ms. Elliott is elected, to no longer advertising on this platform. It’s surprising and disturbing to me that they’re using their money to prop up this news outlet that platforms far right views including that there should be a mass deportation of Canadians, and other incredibly offensive and bizarre view points. They should not be supported by any leadership candidates for political parties in British Columbia.”
Jagrup Brar, B.C. NDP MLA for Surrey-Fleetwood: “What Juno platforms from the Dominion Society is racism, plain and simple. Jason Kenney called it out. This group has used Juno’s profile to attack people in Surrey for the colour of their skin, to call for deporting 9 million people, some of them Canadian citizens. The B.C. Conservatives should be going nowhere near this. Until Juno cuts ties with white supremacy, the B.C. Conservatives should pull their advertising and their leadership candidates from this debate.”