Overview
- The Legislative Assembly voted 88–5 on Oct. 23 to defeat MLA Dallas Brodie’s Land Acknowledgement Prohibition Act at first reading.
- The bill sought to bar publicly funded employees from making acknowledgements that deny Crown sovereignty or assign collective guilt, with its sponsor arguing many statements have become politicized.
- Support came from Conservatives Heather Maahs and Harman Bhangu, One B.C. MLAs Brodie and Tara Armstrong, and Independent Jordan Kealy.
- Conservative MLA Á'a:líya Warbus denounced the proposal as contrary to reconciliation and said the party did not whip the vote.
- Indigenous Relations Minister Spencer Chandra Herbert said banning acknowledgements would further divide people, while Brodie, expelled from the Conservative caucus in March, now sits with the newly formed One B.C. party and used stark language to introduce the measure.