The British Columbia Conservative Party has made the decision to remove their candidate for the Kelowna-Mission riding, Dale Sutherland, from the upcoming provincial election.
The party released a statement on Tuesday, stating that Sutherland’s candidacy has been revoked due to “inappropriate comments” made on social media. The statement did not specify the nature of these comments.
Sutherland, who was announced as the party’s candidate in January, has since deleted his Twitter account. He has not yet publicly commented on the situation.
The BC Conservative Party has stated that they do not condone any form of discrimination or hate speech and that Sutherland’s comments do not align with their values.
This decision comes just weeks before the provincial election, which is set to take place on October 24th. The BC Conservative Party has not yet announced a replacement candidate for the Kelowna-Mission riding.
This is not the first time a candidate has been removed from a political party’s roster due to controversial comments. In 2019, the BC Liberals removed their candidate for the Kelowna-Mission riding, Renee Merrifield, after she made transphobic comments on social media.
The BC Conservative Party has stated that they remain committed to running a strong campaign and representing the values of their party. They have also urged all candidates to be mindful of their actions and words on social media.
As the election draws near, it is important for all candidates to remember the impact of their words and actions, both online and offline. The BC Conservative Party’s decision to remove Sutherland serves as a reminder that accountability and responsibility are crucial in the political arena.
The Kelowna-Mission riding will now have one less candidate on the ballot, but it is up to the remaining candidates to continue to engage with voters and address the issues that matter to the community.
The BC Conservative Party’s decision to remove Sutherland may have caused a shift in the political landscape, but it is ultimately the voters who will have the final say on election day.
