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, prompting at least two defections within its ranks, reducing its standing in the B.C. Legislature. 

Leader John Rustad said the ejection was a result of Brodie's recent appearance 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," Rustad said in a written statement.

He also said Brodie had, on Thursday, 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 B.C. caucus room."

Rustad said the decision to remove Brodie was not based on 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."

"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."

Brodie said in a social media post that she will "never back down."

But prominent Indigenous leaders told CBC News that Brodie's words and actions have caused pain and anger. Melanie Mark, a former NDP MLA, called on Brodie to apologize.

"I think it's an honour to be elected, you [Brodie] had a duty to represent your constituents, and there's no tolerance for this," she said.

Mark, who is Nisga'a, Gitxsan, Cree and Ojibway, said her grandparents went to residential school.

"It's a hate crime what she's done. I hope she gets a lot of emails holding her to task for what she's done, and how hurtful her remarks are."

Brodie is the MLA for the Vancouver-Quilchena riding, which includes a Musqueam First Nation reserve.

Wade Grant, who is Musqueam and works as the nation's intergovernmental affairs officer, lives in Brodie's riding. He called Brodie's "mocking" comments "disgusting."