Plans for splinter party after B.C. Conservative MLA’s ouster

Peace River North MLA Jordan Kealy slams members of the conservative party following Dallas Brodie’s controversial remarks.

Multiple B.C. Conservative MLAs have announced they’re leaving the party, after their colleague Dallas Brodie was ejected over her comments on residential schools.

Peace River North representative Jordan Kealy told CTV News he is “officially done” with the Conservatives, and plans to inform the party Friday night.

• Related: B.C. Conservative leader ejects MLA over residential school comments

Kealy said he initially intended to give his notice Monday, but comments on social media since Brodie’s ouster accelerated his decision.

He also confirmed he’s forming a new party with Brodie – and believes other Conservatives will join them.

“I think we’ll have a party of quite a few Conservative MLAs,” he said. “It’s very obvious that the big tent policy isn’t working.”

Tara Armstrong, the Conservative MLA for Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream, also announced she’s exiting the party on Friday.

In a series of social media posts, Armstrong said leader John Rustad had “abandoned the truth and his moral compass in a quest for power.”

Rustad removed Brodie, who was the Conservatives' attorney general critic, from the party earlier in the day, citing comments she made on a recent podcast appearance.

While facing backlash for previous remarks on the suspected graves found at the Kamloops Indian Residential School, Brodie had chosen to “publicly mock and belittle testimony from former residential school students,” Rustad said.

“Horrible things happened to vulnerable children at residential schools — including pedophiles preying on children,” he added.

“I believe strongly in free speech, however, using your stature and platform as an MLA to mock testimony from victims alleging abuse, including child sex abuse, is where I draw the line.”

This is a developing story and will be updated.