BC Conservatives Leader John Rustad says he condemns hateful Islamophobic comments made by one of his candidates, but has accepted his apology.
In a series of recently unearthed comments posted to Facebook between 2015 and 2016, the 2024 BC Conservatives candidate for Surrey South, Brent Chapman, made hateful and Islamophobic remarks, including claiming that Palestinians were “little inbred walking, talking, breathing time bombs,” and clarifying that he meant both “figuratively and quite literally.”
In a statement Wednesday evening, Chapman apologized for the posts.
“The language I used and the sentiments I expressed at that time towards Palestinians and members of the Islamic faith were completely unacceptable. They do not reflect who I am today or the respect and admiration I hold for the Palestinian and Muslim communities,” said Chapman.
He says he has travelled to Muslim-majority countries and built “meaningful relationships” with members of the Muslim community in Canada.
“These experiences have broadened my understanding of Islam and deepened my appreciation for the incredible contributions Muslims make in our communities, both locally in Surrey and across Canada,” Chapman continued.
He says he stands in solidarity with the communities he may have harmed.
Speaking in North Vancouver Thursday to announce his party’s comprehensive plan to “fix BC Ferries,” Rustad was asked about Chapman’s statements and apology.
He reiterated that Chapman has apologized to the two Muslim candidates on the Conservatives’ roster.
“They both have accepted his apology. I look at the statement, quite frankly, as it was wrong. It’s something that we do not support. I have also accepted Brent’s apology, but I will say this: as the Conservative Party of British Columbia, we will not stand for anti-Palestinian Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, and anti-Asian hate. We will not stand for hate in this province,” said Rustad.
“I will not tolerate any of that in this province.”
In reference to the many comments made between nine and eight years ago, Rustad said Chapman is forgiven for “a statement that was made 10 years ago.” He claims the party vets candidates’ social media accounts, but Chapman’s Facebook profile was “missed.”
“He has apologized for them. And I think the people in British Columbia are looking at actions, not words,” said Rustad.