Vaughn Palmer: Peter Milobar didn’t name names, but his own caucus was clearly his target
VICTORIA — B.C. Conservative MLA Peter Milobar delivered some deeply personal comments on the floor of the legislature this week against what he regards as the residential school denialism emerging within his own party caucus.
“I come from this with a bit of a background that maybe people aren’t quite aware of,” the Kamloops MLA advised the house. “My wife, my kids, they’re all Indigenous. My grandchildren are Indigenous. My son-in-law is a Tk’emlúps band member.”
The Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Nation was on the receiving end of a weekend posting on social media by B.C. Conservative MLA Dallas Brodie: “The number of confirmed child burials at the former Kamloops Indian Residential (school) site is zero.”
Milobar didn’t name Brodie in the house. His comments, then and later, left no doubt he was responding directly to her on behalf of his family and community.
“When denialism does from time to time raise up in the broader conversation, both in B.C. and across the country, it has a direct impact on Tk’emlúps,” said the MLA. “They’re faced with people literally showing up with shovels to try to prove a point, to get into secure areas. We wouldn’t expect that in any other situation, yet it seems to be fair game.”
He recalled how the issue came up last year, when switched from B.C. United (formerly the B.C. Liberals) to the B.C. Conservatives. At a meeting of the Tk’emlúps, he was called out by Manny Jules, former chief of the nation.
Milobar: “Point blank, he asked me, in front of everyone: ‘What will you do in the face of denialism? What will you do in the chamber? Will you be our voice to push back against that?’
“I flat-out said: ‘Yes, I absolutely would,’“ Milobar assured the legislature.
“I wouldn’t be true to my commitments if I didn’t take opportunities like that have presented unfortunately over the last week or so to make sure people understand exactly where I stand. I want the Tk’emlúps membership to know. I want the rest of my constituents to know.”
Milobar recognized that his comments would not be welcome in every quarter, not excluding within his own party.
“I know there will be many, unfortunately, that don’t agree with me,” said the MLA. “That’s OK, I guess. We’ll try to bring people along this journey.”
Lest there be any doubt, Milobar confirmed in a followup interview with CBC Kelowna that his comments in the house were provoked by Brodie’s post.
“Obviously, I don’t align with those views,” he told host Sarah Penton. “I literally just finished doing a speech in the legislature here where I laid out very clearly my thoughts on denialism and what’s happened within residential schools and what the nations are facing — Tk’emlúps in particular.
“It’s broader than maybe just the one tweet. Any time something gets raised, it spurs on a cavalcade of commentary from in and around B.C., but also the rest of the country. I fundamentally disagree with all of that.”
What did he think of Brodie’s refusal to take down her post, despite being asked to do so by party leader John Rustad?
“You would hope that when the leader is making requests that people will take that into consideration and comply,” replied Milobar.
“I have yet to have any admonishment for speaking my thoughts in the chamber today. And in fact, I had a great many colleagues texting me support and pats on the back for saying the words I said.”
Still, he conceded, it was difficult for the Conservative caucus to navigate a divisive topic like this one.
“They’re never comfortable, but we’re a party still, frankly, in its infancy. We have 36 MLAs that have never sat in the legislature at all. I’m one of our longer tenured MLAs, at 7½ years. A very new party finding its feet, it’s going to have growing pains.”
More pains could play out this weekend when the party holds its annual general meeting in Nanaimo.
“John undoubtedly will be pressed by membership on both sides of this type of a situation. That’s for John to figure out how he’s moving forward on this,” said Milobar.
“Any time you have a convention, there’s a possibility of a leadership review. There’s not one on the agenda,” he noted. But there could be one of sorts, “depending on, (whether) some of the processes would be constitutional or not.”
Milobar will attend the Nanaimo meeting.
If challenged, he’ll refer to his comments, shortly after 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, which are posted on the Hansard website.
Safe to say that he’d rather be talking about something else.
“Do I wish that we were having a conversation about the failures of the government to adequately address the economy right now or take proper steps in preparation for the tariff war?” he told the radio audience.
“Absolutely. I would rather be talking about that than pushing back against denialism, be it from a caucus member or be it from the general public, or whatever.”
But when confronted with it in his own party, he couldn’t and didn’t remain silent.