Councillor quits NPA over shift to ‘far right’
Vancouver Coun. Rebecca Bligh has quit the Non-Partisan Association, citing concerns over what she described as a shift to the “far right” with the party’s newly elected executive.
At last week’s NPA annual general meeting, the party membership elected a board of directors that included a former correspondent with the far-right media outlet The Rebel and members endorsed by a socially conservative organization that opposed SOGI, a resource to help B.C. schools be more inclusive of LGBTQ students.
“I think it’s quite clear that the NPA board and executive has swung quite far over to the right,” Bligh said.
“As the only queer elected official with the NPA, I feel the party no longer represents or supports my choices, my identity, and everybody that believes in inclusion.”
Two new members of the NPA board, Phyllis Tang and Ray Goldenchild, were endorsed by the Let’s Vote Association, an organization describing itself as “pro-family, prolife and pro-parental rights.”
That affiliation caused concern for Bligh, she said.
Bligh also sent a statement by email Friday evening, saying: “As with any organization as old, large and diverse as the Non-Partisan Association, there will be times when there are conflicting values and social-political opinions in the membership ...
“At the same time, it is important to note that there is a clear line between the elected NPA caucus and the new NPA board.”