B.C. Conservative leader names shadow cabinet, gives job to controversial member

B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad has assigned jobs to 41 of his 44-member caucus, including giving a critic’s position to MLA Brent Chapman, who faced calls to step down during the campaign over controversial social media remarks.

Several groups called on Rustad during last month’s election to remove Chapman as his party’s candidate over the posts, including one in which he called Palestinian children “inbred walking, talking, breathing time bombs.”

Rustad said during the campaign that it would be up to voters to judge his party’s candidates and Chapman, who apologized for the remarks, was elected in the riding of Surrey South.

Chapman has been named critic for transit and the Insurance Corporation of B.C.

Other members of Rustad’s shadow cabinet include former members of the Opposition BC United, which suspended its campaign in an effort not to split the right-of-centre vote.

Elenore Sturko is the critic for public safety and solicitor general; Teresa Wat takes on tourism, anti-racism and trade; Peter Milobar will shadow the finance ministry and Ian Paton is the critic for agriculture and fisheries.

Rustad says in a statement that with the talent and dedication of his caucus they will hold Premier David Eby to account for the government’s “out-of-control spending and ongoing failures in health care, public safety and addictions.”

Rustad says Eby’s new cabinet appears to be a taxpayer-funded loyalty program that rewards NDP caucus.

Eby introduced his new cabinet this week, which includes 23 ministers, four ministers of state and 14 parliamentary secretaries. 

He also announced postings for caucus chair, deputy caucus chair, government whip, deputy government whip and nominees for deputy Speaker, Speaker and committee of the whole deputy chair.

Rustad says in a statement that Eby’s appointment of 42 of 47 MLAs to a cabinet or parliamentary secretary postings appears to be a “loyalty program for a premier desperate to cling to power.”

Members of the legislature earn an annual basic salary of more than $119,500, with cabinet ministers getting an extra $59,766, which is the same salary boost Rustad receives as Opposition Leader.

Forests Minister Ravi Parmar says in a statement that while Rustad is making claims about an expanded cabinet and promising to force an election, Eby and his team “gets to work on the priorities of British Columbians, like creating good-paying jobs, strengthening health care and delivering a $1,000 middle-class tax cut.”

Eby’s New Democrats were elected last month with 47 members, a one-seat majority in B.C.’s 93-seat legislature.