MLA for Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream, Tara Armstrong

Image Credit: Facebook/Tara Armstrong

The BC Conservatives are out for Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream MLA Tara Armstrong and two other MLAs formerly on their team for not joining their effort to bring down the NDP.

This week, the Conservatives had a chance to fluke chance to bring down the weak minority NDP government, but when the Independent MLAs chose to abstain the vote for Bill C-14 and Bill C-15, that opportunity was lost.

The bills are meant to give the provincial government the ability to fast track infrastructure and green energy projects and the Conservatives maintain they could have been defeated.

“They’ve tried to spin their alliance with David Eby by claiming their votes wouldn’t have made a difference, as the Speaker would break the tie. But that’s far from certain. More importantly, they were elected to show up and vote,” the party said on X.com.

The party took it a step further and told the members they ought to resign.

“If these independents have a change of heart and truly want to defeat the NDP, they’ll start by showing up for work. Better yet, they’ll resign and call a byelection in their ridings—so they can run as independents and let voters decide,” the party said.

Armstrong, Dallas Brodie and Jordan Kealy were elected as Conservatives but went Independent after Brodie was ousted for mocking residential school survivors.

BC Conservative MLA for Penticton-Summerland Amelia Boultbee previously told iNFOnews.ca that all three members should resign.

"Can you imagine donating thousands of dollars, knocking on doors, all the volunteers, all the hard work on the premise that you're a BC Conservative, just to publicly leave the party only a couple of months in?” Boultbee said. "I can imagine that Tara's constituents feel very much like the rug's been pulled out from underneath them."

Armstrong defended her decision to abstain while continuing to speak against Indigenous groups.

READ MORE: Controversial Okanagan MLA doubles down on anti-Indigenous stance

“As Independents, we are free to rise above partisan gamesmanship and consider each bill on its merits. During the committee stage of these bills, we intend to introduce amendments that will ensure that fast-tracking is available to all economic sectors, not just wind and solar, and to all project-proponents, not just to those with political connections to the NDP or indigenous groups,” she said on X.com.

Armstrong recently came under fire from the Penticton Indian Band after making a statement that said Indigenous sovereignty was a threat to the province.

There is an online petition to recall Armstrong, but it won’t have any effect since recall petition signatures must be collected in person and the petition can’t be started until 18 months after the election. Once the petition is initiated, 40 per cent of electors have to sign the petition within 90 days.

The BC Conservatives said the Independents don’t want to bring down the government because all three would lose their jobs.

“All three would likely lose their seats—and their taxpayer-funded paycheques. By refusing to vote, they effectively supported the motion,” the party said.

A petition to recall Armstrong could be initiated 338 days from May 16.

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