Peace River North MLA speaks after voting against Human Rights Code motion

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C.— Peace River North’s MLA has defended his decision to be one of only three to vote against a motion supporting anti-discrimination laws in the legislature, requested by pride societies. 

Jordan Kealy, alongside Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream MLA Tara Armstrong and Vancouver-Quilchena MLA Dallas Brodie, voted against the motion at the Legislative Assembly of B.C. to “affirm unequivocal support” for the Human Rights Code on March 12th.

The motion was requested by 17 pride societies around B.C. after a controversial bill was brought by MLA Tara Armstrong on February 26th to repeal the Human Rights Code, which did not pass first reading but was voted for by 37 MLAs, including Kealy. 

Armstrong had brought the bill after a tribunal decision that ruled a former Chilliwack school trustee must pay $750,000 for his campaign against sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) resources in schools.

Kealy and Peace River South MLA Larry Neufeld both told Energeticcity.ca their vote to support the repeal bill was procedural so it could move to the second reading when there would be a legislative debate.

The repeal bill prompted swift backlash, including from the group of pride societies, who wrote a joint letter calling for Armstrong’s resignation and asking the legislature to reaffirm its “commitment to defending the B.C. Human Rights Code and the equality protections it guarantees.”

It also criticized comments Armstrong made in the aftermath of the Tumbler Ridge tragedy about the school shooter’s gender identity as “factually incorrect and harmful to an already marginalized community.”

The pride societies’ letter read: “Its [the Human Rights Code] repeal would strip away decades of progress and undermine our province’s fundamental commitment to equality and human dignity.”

The B.C. Human Rights Code is designed to prevent discrimination, eliminate patterns of inequality and ensure people have full and free participation in economic, social, political and cultural life.

According to Hansard, Kealy told the Legislative Assembly of B.C. the motion was “wasting time.”

He told Energeticcity.ca: “I ended up voting against the motion, because the legislature is meant to create laws, amend laws, and that motion, there’s no point in doing a motion to affect something that’s already in place that protects people.” 

Kealy said he was concerned about how much the debate cost the taxpayer and what was included in the motion. 

“[What] was excluded from that motion was the right to have a political opinion. I can’t speculate as to what the NDP was thinking, but it would be great if your opposition doesn’t have a voice,” he said. 

Kealy accused the NDP caucus of attempting to shift attention from amendments proposed in February to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOI), which critics have argued empower public bodies to delay or deny requests.

He said: “They’re changing the FOI laws so they’re not accountable. They need to focus on their real job and that’s to be legislators, where we actually look at creating laws, amending laws or changing old laws – and this motion did nothing.” 

Diana Gibson, B.C.’s minister of citizens’ services, said the FOI amendments will “improve the experience of people using the FOI system” and “improve digital service delivery for people and businesses.” 

“This means more streamlined, user-friendly services will be available to people and businesses online through a ‘one-stop’ approach, something we have been asked to deliver for British Columbians,” she added.

Energeticcity.ca reached out to the North Peace Pride Society for comment but did not hear back in time for publication.